Effect of vibrations on granular material flows down an inclined plane using DEM simulations

The influence of transverse mechanical vibrations on dense flows of granular material down inclines with a rough bed is analyzed using 3D DEM simulations and compared with experimental results. The vibrations make appear two distinct behaviors: a gravity-driven regime and a vibration-driven regime. In the gravity-driven regime, our results are consistent with previous studies from the literature. The vibrations induce particles velocity fluctuations in the vibration-driven regime, which generate a granular temperature profile along the depth of the packing related to the velocity profile. The velocity profile is consistent with a creeping flow which makes appear a critical length scale related to a nonlocal rheology. Our results suggest that this length scale emerges from the characteristic damping length of transverse vibration waves which propagate in the bulk of the granular material. These results could be of interest for the optimization of powders conveying. [Display omitted] •Vibrations allow the transport of granular materials to be tuned.•Vibrations allow possible flows below the angle of avalanche.•Vibrations induce a nonlocal rheology related to a characteristic length.•This characteristic length depends on the acceleration of the vibrations.