The Impact of Bulk Density on Shape of a Cohesive-less Granular Heap
Heng Li, Taher M Abu-Lebdeh, Sameer A Hamoush, Vincent E. Lamberti, Xiaoliang Wang

Abstract
We provide an analytical expression for the shape of a heap of cohesive-less granular material with the impact of bulk density. By assuming the bulk density of the heap is changing with the depth of the heap, we prove that the shape of the heap is no longer a perfect conical shape. It is the first time to relate the shape of the heap to the compaction coefficient and porosity of granular matter. We analyze the effects of the different parameters on the shape of the heap. The results are in agreement with the experiment. The model may be applied to extract the quantitative information on the flowability, porosity, and compaction coefficient of a granular material from the shape of its heap.

Full Text: PDF