The mass flow of granular materials derived from coupled velocity-stress fields

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A simple approximate analysis for the gravity flow of a cohesionless bulk solid in a converging channel is presented. The analysis departs from the classical approach of plasticity in that the velocity and the stress fields are coupled. This coupling enforces a unique solution for the flow rate. The analytical expression for the flow rate is compared with the theory of Brown and with experimental data of Deming and Mehring. Although the present analysis overestimates the flow rate, the results indicate that further, more realistic, analyses following the present approach would prove to be fruitful.