General model for segregation forces in flowing granular mixtures

TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive model to predict the segregation forces acting on particles in flowing granular mixtures, accounting for gravity and shear effects, validated through simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a unified model combining gravity and shear effects on particle segregation, validated against DEM simulations.

Findings

Model accurately predicts segregation forces across various conditions.

Effective in both idealized and natural shear flows.

Enhances understanding of particle segregation mechanisms.

Abstract

Particle segregation in dense flowing size-disperse granular mixtures is driven by gravity and shear, but predicting the associated segregation force due to both effects has remained an unresolved challenge. Here, a model of the combined gravity- and kinematics-induced segregation force on a single intruder particle is integrated with a model of the concentration dependence of the gravity-induced segregation force. The result is a general model of the net particle segregation force in flowing size-bidisperse granular mixtures. Using discrete element method simulations for comparison, the model correctly predicts the segregation force for a variety of mixture concentrations and flow conditions in both idealized and natural shear flows.