PACKING OF SPHEROIDS IN 3-DIMENSIONAL SPACE BY RANDOM SEQUENTIAL ADDITION

Packings of spheroidal particles with semi-axes of length (a, b, b) we re generated by random sequential addition (RSA) simulations. As the j amming limit is approached, the volume fraction occupied by particles tends towards an asymptote phi(infinity), which was determined as a fu nction of aspect ratio alpha = a/b. This asymptote phi(infinity) has a local minimum at alpha = 1 (spheres), with local maxima at alpha simi lar or equal to 1.4 (prolate spheroids) and alpha similar or equal to 0.7 (oblate). Values of phi(infinity) agree with results from RSA simu lations of sphere packings, but lie below volume fractions obtained in simulations of near-spheres packed under gravity. Volume fractions re ported for simulations of spheroids packed under gravity vary widely w hen the aspect ratio alpha is very large or small; differences between these results and the predictions of RSA are discussed.