  Static granular packings play a central role in numerous industrial
applications and natural settings. In these situations, fluid or fine particle
flow through a bed of static particles is heavily influenced by the narrowest
passage connecting the pores of the packing, commonly referred to as pore
throats or constrictions. Existing studies predominantly assume monodisperse
rigid particles, but this is an oversimplification of the problem. In this
work, we illustrate the connection between pore throat size, polydispersity,
and particle deformation. Simple analytical expressions are provided to link
these properties of the packing, followed by examples from Discrete Element
Method (DEM) simulations of fine particle percolation demonstrating the impact
of polydispersity and particle deformation. Our intent is to emphasize the
substantial impact of polydispersity and particle deformation on constriction
size, underscoring the importance of accounting for these effects in particle
transport in granular packings.
