Validation Study of Two Continuum Granular Frictional Flow Theories

Granular kinetic theories are valid in both kinetic (dilute) flow regime and dense collisional (intermediate) flow regime. This is true as long as contacts between two colliding particles are instantaneous. Empirical theories derived from soil mechanics have been traditionally used in continuum modeling for dense granular flows dominated by enduring contact between particles. This study focuses on validating two continuum theories commonly used to model dense frictional granular flows. The first validation example is conducted for a granular bin discharge, and model predictions are compared with a well-known empirical correlation for the discharge rate. The second example involves a more detailed comparison of flow variables with predictions obtained using a discrete technique for granular flow in a simple shear cell. The frictional flow theory that is only activated at the quasi-static flow regime above maximum packing does not show accurate predictions. Better predictions are obtained using a frictional theory that extends in the intermediate flow regime below packing where both collisional and enduring contact between particles occur.