Discrete Hertzian chains and solitons

We consider elastic grains which repel upon contact according to the Hertz potential V = a delta(n). n > 2. where delta is the overlap between adjacen t grains and report numerical and analytical studies for the case of a 1-D chain of spherical grains to show that an impulse initiated at an end of a chain of Hertzian grains in contact, eventually propagates as a soliton for all n > 2. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.