Granular surface flows are important in industrial practice and natural sys
tems, but the understanding of such flows is at present incomplete. We pres
ent 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 increase
s with flow rate. Predictions of the model for the flowing layer thickness
and interface angles are in good agreement with experiments.