Power-law scaling in granular rheology across flow geometries

Based on discrete element method simulations, we propose a new form of the constitution equation for granular flows independent of packing fraction. Rescaling the stress ratio $μ$ by a power of dimensionless temperature $Θ$ makes the data from a wide set of flow geometries collapse to a master curve depending only on the inertial number $I$. The basic power-law structure appears robust to varying particle properties (e.g. surface friction) in both 2D and 3D systems. We show how this rheology fits and extends frameworks such as kinetic theory and the Nonlocal Granular Fluidity model.

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