Computer simulations of rapid granular shear flows between parallel bumpy boundaries

Abstract

In this Brief Communication the results of numerical simulations for the rapid, steady shear flow of identical disks are compared with the recent predictions of Hanes et al. [J. Appl. Mech. 55, 969 (1988)] for the shear stress, normal stress, and gap width. The smooth and nearly elastic disks are driven by identical, parallel, bumpy boundaries. The variations of the dynamic friction coefficient are confirmed by the simulations. The coefficient may be made large or small by suitably preparing the boundaries of the cell. The simulations also indicate that the predictions of kinetic theory apply to gaps as small as three particle diameters in width.