DEM simulations of quasi-two-dimensional flow of spherical particles on a heap without sidewalls

Neiladri Sekhar Ray,Devang V Khakhar,M.A Aguirre,L.A Pugnaloni,R Soto,S Luding

doi:10.1051/epjconf/202124903034

Neiladri Sekhar Ray, Devang V Khakhar + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202124903034

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Abstract

Surface flows of granular materials find several important applications in both nature as well as industry. The effect of sidewalls on such flows is known to be large. Here, we study the rheology of such flows on a quasi two-dimensional heap without sidewalls, at different mass flow rates. It is seen that the surface angle of the heap, for all the mass flow rates, is the same and corresponds to the neutral angle. System variables such as the velocity, volume fraction and stresses are reported as a function of depth from the free surface of the heap. The friction coefficient and volume fraction are also studied as a function of the scaled local shear rate and these are also found to be independent of the mass flow rate. The behaviour observed in the present work is different from that reported in previous studies of surface flows with side walls.

Highlights

Surface flows of granular materials find several important applications in both nature as well as industry
Surface flows in channels with sidewalls have been extensively studied, and the stability of such flows has been attributed to the friction of that frictional side-walls aid in order-disorder transition of granular flows of monodisperse spheres down an incline with a bumpy base, whereby both the friction coefficient and the packing fraction is altered [10]
Development of constitutive relations to describe such flows is a challenge and the μ(I) rheology, which relates the ratio of the stresses to a rescaled shear of the same material as that of the flowing layer, is simulated by means of the soft-particle discrete element method (DEM), using the open source software LAMMPS [12]

Summary

Introduction

Surface flows of granular materials find several important applications in both nature as well as industry. The bed region shows a ‘creeping’ motion with velocity profiles decaying exponentially within the heap [3]. The surface angle has been shown to increase with increase in mass flow 2 Simulation Methodology rate [5].

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