Erosive granular avalanches : a cross confrontation between theory and experiment.
Results on two laboratory scale avalanches experiments taking place both in the air and under-water, are presented. In both cases a family of solitary erosion/deposition waves are observed. At higher inclination angles, we show the existence of a long wavelength transverse instability followed by a coarsening and the onset of a fingering pattern. While the experiments strongly differ by the spatial and time scales, the agreement between the stability diagram, the wavelengths selection and the avalanche morphology suggest a common erosion/deposition scenario. These experiments are studied theoretically in the framework of the 'partial fluidization' model of dense granular flows. This model identifies a family of propagating solitary waves displaying a behavior similar to the experimental observation. A primary cause for the transverse instability is related to the dependence of avalanche velocity on the granular mass trapped by the flow.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); ANR project
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1000680
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/MSD/JA-68679; TRN: US201101%%355
- Journal Information:
- Granular Matter, Vol. 10, Issue 1 ; 2007
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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