Slope of Dry Granular Materials Surface is Generally Curved

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the slopes of granular heaps and sand dunes are generally convex rather than straight, deriving equations and conducting experiments to explain the curvature and its relation to the angle of repose.

Contribution

It introduces a new model showing that granular heap slopes are typically convex, challenging the traditional view of straight slopes and explaining the observed curvature.

Findings

Granular heap slopes are generally convex, not straight.

The angle of repose varies narrowly around a critical value.

Convexity depends on slight deviations from the critical angle.

Abstract

As if it has become a consensus that the slope of the granular heap is straight, and from that, an angle of repose is defined. However, closer inspection shows that the slopes are not truly straight, instead, more often they have convex shapes, although with small convexity. Similar curvature is observed on the sand dunes' surfaces. We derive equations together with experiments on 10 types of granular materials to show that, in general, the slope of the granular heap is convex while the straight slope is a critical state that rarely occurs. The angle of repose is allowed to vary within a narrow range around a critical value. If the angle of repose is slightly greater (smaller) than the critical value, the slope is convex (concave). The model also answers why the surfaces of granular heaps, including sand dunes, are more often convex rather than concave or straight, and advocate the simultaneous estimation of the coefficient of friction on the grain and the type of packing in the heap. The results might open new understandings related to granular material properties as well as sand transport and geological records in several deserts.