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dilatancy

British  
/ daɪˈleɪtənsɪ, dɪ- /

noun

  1. a phenomenon caused by the nature of the stacking or fitting together of particles or granules in a heterogeneous system, such as the solidification of certain sols under pressure, and the thixotropy of certain gels

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Together, the unusual geometry and trapped fluids create conditions for a process called "dilatancy strengthening."

From Science Daily May 16, 2026

Expat carries with it the sense of choice, but also a whiff of flightiness and dilatancy, the idea that you’ve rejected the country of your birth for reasons of lifestyle rather than need.

From Slate Feb. 13, 2014

But the bulge appears much too large to be explained only by this effect, which is known as dilatancy and has already been used to make experimental earthquake predictions.

From Time Magazine Archive

Brace even suggested at the time that the physical changes associated with dilatancy might provide warning of an impending earthquake, but neither he nor anyone else was quite sure how to proceed with his proposal.

From Time Magazine Archive

In fact, dilatancy seems to explain virtually all the strange effects observed prior to earthquakes.

From Time Magazine Archive

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