Velocity profile of granular flows down a heap described by dimensional analysis

TL;DR

This paper uses dimensional analysis to reproduce and understand the velocity profiles of granular flows down a heap, revealing a linear decrease in velocity near the surface and exponential decay in the creep layer.

Contribution

It introduces a dimensional analysis approach to accurately model the velocity distribution in granular heap flows, bridging experimental observations with theoretical understanding.

Findings

Velocity decreases linearly from the free surface

Velocity decays exponentially in the creep layer

Dimensional analysis successfully reproduces experimental profiles

Abstract

Gravity-driven thick granular flows are relevant to many industrial and geophysical processes. In particular, it is important to know and understand the particle velocity distributions as we get deeper into the flow from the free surface. In this paper, we use dimensional analysis as a tool to reproduce the velocity profile experimentally reported for granular flows down a confined heap for the so-called flowing layer and the creep layer underneath: the grains velocity first decrease linearly from the free surface, and then exponentially.