Investigation of granular flow run-out behavior under dilative and compressive Coriolis conditions using DEM simulation

Abstract

Centrifuge modeling allows granular flows to be simulated under stresses characteristic of full-scale flows, while maintaining repeatability. However, the impact of the Coriolis effect on the run-out behavior of dry granular flows is not fully understood. In this study, using the discrete element method (DEM), we conducted simulations of dry granular flow both with and without Coriolis (dilative and compressive) conditions to analyze the impact of the Coriolis effect on granular run-out mobility, flow structure, and granular interaction. For unsteady flows, the dilative Coriolis force increased the moving distance of the flow centroid by 60%–70% and increased the maximum kinetic energy by 5%–17%, whereas those parameters were reduced by 30% and 2%–9%, respectively, under compressive Coriolis conditions. Results showed that selecting a lower centrifugal acceleration by reducing the rotational angular velocity in physical modeling is ineffective for realizing a weaker Coriolis effect. This study established that using a larger centrifuge could mitigate the Coriolis effect, but that this outcome became less notable as the centrifugal radius increased. Additionally, we suggest a preliminary relation that could be used to correct the results of experimental granular flow final run-out distance obtained using a geotechnical centrifuge.