Interface between fluid- and solid-like behaviour in rapid granular flows down bumpy inclines

Gravity-driven granular hows down bumpy inclined surfaces were investigated . The flows consist of a bottom region of an amorphous solid-like granular material interacting with a top region of rapidly agitated grains. Chou(1) theoretically analysed these granular flows by employing the constitutive t heory,(2) the corresponding boundary conditions(3) and the continuity condi tions at the interface.(4) By making use of Chou's model,(1) the research w ork reported here investigated the effects of the inclination, coefficient of restitution and boundary geometry on the profiles of solid concentration , mean velocity and granular temperature. The direction of the energy flux at the bumpy surfaces, as well as the flow depth for both the active and pa ssive layers were also observed. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.