Surface flow of granular materials: model and experiments in heap formation

Granular surface flows are important in industrial practice and natural systems, but the understanding of such flows is at present incomplete. We present a combined theoretical and experimental study of quasi-two-dimensional heap formation by pouring particles continuously at a point. Two cases are considered: open systems and closed systems. Experimental results show that the shear rate in the flowing layer is nearly independent of the mass flow rate, and the angle of static friction at the bed–layer interface increases with flow rate. Predictions of the model for the flowing layer thickness and interface angles are in good agreement with experiments.