Discrete element simulation of dense granular flow in a modified Couette cell

Slow flows in dense granular material are of practical interest in a variety of applications (e.g., soil failure, powder processing, etc.) and are, as yet, poorly understood. While progress has been made in understanding rapid flows in terms of kinetic theory, the nature of slow flows appears to limit the application of kinetic concepts to them. These denser systems often exhibit thin, localized regions of particle motion, shear bands, separating largely solid-like regions.