Physics of humid granular media

A very small amount of liquid added or condensed from a vapor in a granular heap can induce dramatic changes of its static properties. In this paper we review recent advances in humid granular media. We discuss the first approaches for describing the cohesion forces acting between spherical rough beads, and their effect on the maximum avalanche angle of a granular heap. We also discuss the time dependency of these cohesive forces leading to ageing effects in the properties of the medium. To cite this article: L. Bocquet et al., C. R. Physique 3 (2002) 207–215.