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Collapse Dynamics and Runout of Dense Granular Materials in a Fluid

V. Topin, Y. Monerie, F. Perales, and F. Radjaï
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 188001 – Published 2 November 2012
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Abstract

We investigate the effect of an ambient fluid on the dynamics of collapse and spread of a granular column simulated by means of the contact dynamics method interfaced with computational fluid dynamics. The runout distance is found to increase as a power law with the aspect ratio of the column, and, surprisingly, for a given aspect ratio and packing fraction, it may be similar in the grain-inertial and fluid-inertial regimes but with considerably longer duration in the latter case. We show that the effect of fluid in viscous and fluid-inertial regimes is to both reduce the kinetic energy during collapse and enhance the flow by lubrication during spread. Hence, the runout distance in a fluid may be below or equal to that in the absence of fluid due to compensation between those effects.

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  • Received 20 April 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.188001

© 2012 American Physical Society

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Published 2 November 2012

Two-dimensional simulations provide the first element-by-element accounting of the fluid and grain flow in an underwater avalanche.

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Authors & Affiliations

V. Topin1,2, Y. Monerie1,2, F. Perales1,2, and F. Radjaï2,3

  • 1Institut de Radioprotection et Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSN, CE Cadarache, BP3-13115 St Paul-Lez-Durance Cedex, France
  • 2Laboratoire de Micromécanique et Intégrité des STructures (MIST), CNRS-IRSN-Université Montpellier 2, France
  • 3Laboratoire de Mécanique et Génie Civil, CNRS-Université Montpellier 2, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France

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Issue

Vol. 109, Iss. 18 — 2 November 2012

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