The influence of gravity on dynamic properties in sheared granular flows

CC Liao, SS Hsiau, JS Li, CH Tai�- Chemical Engineering Science, 2010 - Elsevier
CC Liao, SS Hsiau, JS Li, CH Tai
Chemical Engineering Science, 2010Elsevier
The influences of gravity on the granular flow behavior and dynamic properties were
experimentally studied in a vertical shear cell device where the shear dilation direction of
granular materials was perpendicular to the gravity direction. The particle motions were
recorded by a high-speed camera from three different observational views. By using image
processing technology and the particle tracking method, the average velocities and granular
temperatures in the streamwise and the transverse directions were successfully measured�…
The influences of gravity on the granular flow behavior and dynamic properties were experimentally studied in a vertical shear cell device where the shear dilation direction of granular materials was perpendicular to the gravity direction. The particle motions were recorded by a high-speed camera from three different observational views. By using image processing technology and the particle tracking method, the average velocities and granular temperatures in the streamwise and the transverse directions were successfully measured and analyzed. The results show that the anisotropic motions exist in sheared granular flows. The dynamic properties in the streamwise direction are larger than those in the transverse direction. Due to the gravity effect and bulk flow of granular materials, the local packing structure is not homogenous in the vertical shear cell. By comparing the three different observational views in the vertical shear cell, we find that the spatial average velocity and self-diffusion coefficient are the greatest but the shear rate and granular temperature are the smallest when the particles are co-flowing with gravity causing the most dilute packing structure due to the gravity effect. Similar experiments were also performed in a horizontal shear cell where the shear dilation direction of granular materials was against the gravity direction. The dynamic properties are smaller in the horizontal shear cell than those in the vertical shear cell. It is because the horizontal shear cell has the smaller shear rate with the shear dilation direction against the gravity direction.
Elsevier