Study of the collapse of granular columns using DEM numerical simulation

Numerical simulations of the collapse and spreading of granular columns onto an horizontal plane using the Contact Dynamics method are presented. The final shape of the deposit seems to depend only on the aspect ratio $a$ of the columns; these results are in good agreement with previous experimental work. In particular, the renormalised runout distance shows a power law dependence on the aspect ratio $a$, which is incompatible with a simple friction model. The dynamics of the collapse is shown to be mostly controlled by the free fall of the column. The energy dissipation at the base of the column can be described simply by a coefficient of restitution. Hence the energy available for the sideways flow is proportional to the initial potential energy $E_0$. The dissipation process within the flow is well approximated by basal friction, contrary to the behaviour of the runout distance. The mass ejected sideways is showned to play a determining role in the spreading process. As $a$ increases, the same fraction of initial potential energy $E_0$ drives more mass against friction. This additional dissipation give a possible explanation for power-law dependence of the runout distance on $a$. Beyond the frictional properties of the material, we show that the flow characteristics strongly depend on the early dynamics of the collapse. We propose a new scaling for the runout distance that matches the data well, is compatible with a friction model, and provide a qualitative explanation to the column collapse phenomenology.