Nonlocal modeling of granular flows down inclines

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Fluid Dynamics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Granular flows on inclined planes exhibit complex nonlocal phenomena.
• Existing models struggle to capture these effects accurately.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply and validate a recently proposed nonlocal granular fluidity model to granular flows on rough inclined planes.
• To investigate the model's ability to predict critical stopping height and flow profiles.

Main Methods:

• Application of the nonlocal granular fluidity model to inclined plane geometry.
• Derivation of a formula for critical stopping height using the model's dynamical form.
• Comparison of theoretical predictions with experimental data for glass beads.

Main Results:

• The nonlocal granular fluidity model successfully captures nonlocal phenomena in granular flows.
• A derived formula for critical stopping height shows quantitative agreement with experimental data.
• Theoretical flow profiles for thicker layers match discrete particle simulations.

Conclusions:

• The nonlocal granular fluidity model provides a robust framework for understanding granular flows on inclined planes.
• The model's predictions offer a stringent validation against experimental and simulation data.
• Further investigation into the Froude number collapse suggests new insights into inertial rheology.