COMPUTER-SIMULATION OF RANDOM PACKING OF HARD-SPHERES

A computer simulation which can randomly pack hard spheres for gravitationally stable lattices ranging from random loose packing to random close packing is described. The algorithm tests a model for random packing which proposes that the characteristics of a lattice are determined by its local interstices and that the shape of these interstices is formed by bridging and the angular separation of contacting spheres. The model predicts that random packings form a quadrilateral in the packing density/mean coordination plane with packing densities ranging from 0.509 to 0.638 and mean coordination numbers ranging from 4.4 to 5.9.