Self-organization in the rapid flow of granular material: Evidence for a major flow mechanism

Based on the assumption that high-speed high-concentration sediment mass flows are primarily granular flows, their dynamic properties were studied. Such highly sheared granular flows are characterized by interparticle collisions. This so-called rapid granular flow regime has been analysed using two-dimensional computer simulations. It is shown that granular flows at the microstructural level are governed by deterministic chaos. The bulk behaviour is characterized by self-organization and an attractor controlling the energy dissipation of the flow. The existence of this rapid granular flow attractor easily explains the linear relation between drop height and travel distance of debris flows. A compelling consequence of the attractor is that rapid granular flow is the major flow regime in debris flows.