Influential factors on the repose angle of desert sands

The repose angle is one of the most significant macroscopic parameters in describing the behavior of granular materials. Under a static condition, the repose angle is the steepest angle at which sediment particles can rest without motion. In this paper, we use existing data and aeolian physics to analyze the main factors that influence the repose angle of sand dunes, and we investigate different repose angles involving various states and types of materials. We have determined that different factors have differential influence on the magnitude of the repose angle. Our results show that for powdery （〈400-μm diameter） desert sands, the main influential factor on the magnitude of repose angle is the molecular force among particles. Particle size does not influence the repose angle of desert sands directly, but has an indirect impact by affecting the grit sphericity and surface roughness, of which the grit sphericity acts as a major factor. Even at the same average particle size, the repose angle differs with different grain compositions. Furthermore, with increasing unevenness in grain composition, the repose angle increases correspondingly. Sand texture also has a direct influence on the repose angle of desert sands. In two sand samples having the same grain composition but different textures, the repose angles may be different. Water content has a stronger influence on the repose angle than any other factor. However, the relationship between the repose angle and water content is not a simple direct proportion. In fact, with increasing water content, the repose angle first increases and then decreases. These research results will be useful for understanding the mechanisms of dune transport, variations of dune morphology, and the stability and fluidity of dune sands.

Effects of typical corn kernel shapes on the forming of repose angle by DEM simulation

Corn kernel shape is an important feature to improve the accuracy of simulation results,also the repose angle is often used to calibrate model parameters in simulation.In this study,the effects of the corn kernel shapes on the behavior during corn kernels accumulation were investigated in detail.Firstly,the DEM models of three typical shapes of corn kernels were developed.Secondly,the influences of the corn kernel shapes on the process of forming repose angle were investigated,such as corn kernels distance change,energy conversion,and the contact number between corn kernels.Results show that the corn kernel shape has a significant effect on the repose angle formation.The irregular shape of corn kernels limit their rolling when adding the corn kernel length in one or two directions.In addition,the irregular shapes of corn kernels increase the contact number and extend simulation time.Regular shape corn kernels need to be mixed with irregular shape corn kernels to improve their flowability.Finally,observation of the trajectory of corn kernel repose angles indicates that spherical corn kernels contact the bottom plate early,and forming small cone first,then the cone becomes bigger to change the direction of other corn kernels from top to bottom.

Research on the Relationship between Grain Composition and Repose Angle of Coal Gangue in Dongkuang Mine, Heshan City, Guangxi, China

Heshan, a city in Southwest China, has been built over an old coal mining area. Due to low level of reclamation, coal gangue had been stacked in large heaps and caused geological environ- mental problems. To facilitate designing management project of coal gangue, we made an investigation of the largest coal gangue heap in Dongkuang Mine of Heshan. Firstly, the grain composition of coal gangue was estimated through the sieving method, then the representative grading curve was drawn through the statistics method of coarse grain content, and lastly the relationship between the repose an- gle and grain grading was studied by piling up coal gangue with different mix proportion. The result indicates that there is a wider range of grain size in the upper part of coal gangue heap, and the repre- sentative grain grading is well graded and easy to be compacted as filling materials. Besides, the wavy relationship curve of repose angle and coarse grain content shows that the content of 70% is the infiec- tion point of ascent stage and 85% the inflection point of descent stage of the repose angle. What＇s more, the repose angle corresponding to the representative grading of coal gangue is approximately 38.4° and this has guiding significance for management project of coal gangue.

Determination of key soil characteristic parameters using angle of repose and direct shear stress test

Discrete element modelling(DEM)is a numerical method for examining the dynamic behavior of granular media.In order to build an accurate simulation model and provide more comprehensive soil characteristic parameters for the design and optimization of various soil contact machinery,in this paper,the discrete element simulation method(EDEM)combined with experimental approach is used to investigate the soil contact characteristic parameters in East Asia.In this study,Hertze-Mindlin(no slip)was used as a particle contact model by taking particle contact parameters and soil JKR(Johnson-Kendall-Roberts)surface energy as determinants,and repose angle,internal friction angle,and cohesive force as evaluation indexes.The method of Plackett-Burman,Stepest ascent,and Box-Behnken were used to gradually reduce the range of parameters needed for simulation until the most accurate value was determined.The results show that the restitution coefficient,static friction coefficient,and rolling friction coefficient between soil particles have significant effects on the DEM model,and their value of them are 0.596,0.725,and 0.16,respectively.Based on these parameters used for the repose angle test and direct shear stress test,the value of repose angle is 31.97°,the internal friction angle is 27.61°,and the cohesive force is 33.06 kPa.The relative errors with the actual measured values are 9.54%,1.87%,and 2.31%,respectively.In order to further test whether the simulation parameters of soil obtained by repose angle test and direct shear stress test are consistent with the real soil,comparison test between field test and discrete element simulation was used.The results show that the error in height of ridge between the simulated soil and the actual soil is 4.06%,which is within the acceptable range.It also indicates that the calibrated and optimized soil simulation model can accurately represent the real soil.The research provides theoretical basis and technical support for the study of soil contact parts by using the discrete element method,combined with repose angle test and direct shear stress test.

Influence of surface roughness on the development of moss-dominated biocrusts on mountainous rock-cut slopes in West Sichuan, China

Since natural restoration combined with artificial auxiliary measures may achieve a relatively rapid restoration effect at a lower cost, it has become an essential measure for the ecological restoration of rock slopes. Previous studies have focused heavily on the relationship between substrate nutrients and water conditions and the development of mosses on the rock surface, but quantitative characterization of substantial effect of rock surface texture(e.g., microrelief) on moss growth is absent. The undulating microrelief on the rock surface can increase the heterogeneity of the microhabitat, which may be an important factor affecting the development of mossdominated biocrusts. In this study, the roughness of rock surfaces, moss coverage and biomass, weight and major nutrient contents of soils within the biocrusts were measured in the western mountainous area of Sichuan Province, Southwest China to further examine the role of rock surface microrelief in the biocrusts. The results showed that three main factors affecting the development of the biocrusts were bryophyte emergence, soil accumulation, and lithology. The presence of moss accelerates soil formation on rock surfaces and lead to the accumulation of nutrients so that all parts of the moss-dominated biocrusts system can develop synergistically. It was found that a microrelief structure with a roughness between 1.5 and 2.5 could gather soil and bryophyte propagules effectively, which may have a strong relationship with the angle of repose. When the roughness is 1.5, the corresponding undulation angle is very close to the theoretical minimum value of the undulation angle calculated according to the relationships between the undulation angle of the protrusion, slope and angle of repose.

Measurement and Influence Factors of the Flowability of Microcapsules with High-content β-Carotene

The flowability of five kinds of microencapsulation powders,with differentβ-carotene contents and by two alternative particle-forming technologies i.e.spray-drying and starch-catching beadlet technology,was meas- ured.The actual flow properties of the five powders were compared based on bin-flow test,and three flow indexes (Hausner ratio,repose angle and flow index)were measured.It was found that the repose angle is the most suitable index to reflect the flowability of these powders for the particle properties would not be altered due to compaction or tapping during the measuring process.Particle size and particle size distribution play most important roles in the flowability of these granular materials,which was also influenced by other factors like shape,surface texture,sur- face roughness,etc.Microcapsules with wall material of gelatin and a layer of modified starch absorbed on the sur- face showed excellent flowabilities and good mechanical properties,and they are favorable for tabletting to supply β-carotene.

Friction Coefficient Calibration of Sunflower Seeds for Discrete Element Modeling Simulation

Sunflower(Helianthus annuus L.)is one of the four major oil crops in the world and has high economic value.However,the lack of discrete element method(DEM)models and parameters for sunflower seeds hinders the application of DEM for computer simulation in the key working processes of sunflower seed sowing and harvesting.The present study was conducted on two varieties of sunflower,and the DEM model of sunflower seeds was established by using 3D scanning technology based on the distribution of triaxial dimensions and volumes of the geometric model of sunflower seeds.Similarly,the physical characteristics parameters of sunflower seeds were determined by physical tests and the simulation parameters were screened for significance based on the Plackett-Burman test.Our results show that the coefficient of static friction between sunflower seeds and the coefficient of rolling friction have significant effects on the repose angle of the simulation test.Furthermore,the optimal range of the significance parameters was further determined by the steepest climb test,and the second-order regression model of the significance parameters and the repose angle was obtained according to the Box-Behnken design test and Response Surface Methodology(RSM),with the repose angle measured by the physical test as the optimized target value to obtain the optimal parameter combination.Finally,a two-sample t-test for the repose angle of the physical test and the repose angle of the simulation test yielded P>0.05.Our results confirms that the repose angle obtained from simulation is not significantly different from the physical test value,and the relative errors between the repose angle of the simulation test and the physical test are 1.43%and 0.40%,respectively,for the optimal combination of parameters.Based on these results it can be concluded that the optimal parameters obtained from the calibration can be used for DEM simulation experiments related to the sunflower seed sowing and harvesting process.

STUDY ON THE ANGLE OF REPOSE OF NONUNIFORM SEDIMENT

A conception of exposure degree is used in this article to account for the hiding and exposure mechanism of nonuniform sediment transport. The force arms of particles on the bed slope are assumed to be a function of the exposure degree, which is stochastically related to the size and gradation of bed materials. Based on this conception, the formula for the angle of repose of nonuniform sediment is developed. The angle of repose of nonuniform sediment is experimentally investigated in rotation drum at the rolling motion of sediment particles. The nonuniform sediment is gotten from the mixture of two kinds of uniform sediment with different weight ratios and two experimental plans that one for changing the weight ratio of two kinds of uniform sediment from 1：9 to 9：1 and the other changing the uniform sediment size and weight ratio are used. The effect of the rotation speed and the filling degree on the angle of repose is investigated, too. Finally, the formula has been tested against a wide range of laboratory data, the prediction by the newly proposed formulas is very good.

DEM investigation of angle of repose for super-ellipsoidal particles

We explore the effect of particle shape on the angle of repose (AoR) in granular packing using a three-dimensional discrete element method.Non-spherical particles were modeled using super-ellipsoids characterized by aspect ratio and blockiness.The relationship between AoR and particle shape was examined,followed by a series of analyses on the origin of AoR from a microscopic perspective.Results show that,with blockiness deviating from unity,AoR has an approximate "M" shape that exhibits a strong to weak trend with aspect ratio,matching results of previous reports.Another finding suggests a parabolic relationship between normalized AoR and normalized coordination number,AoR increases with anisotropy related more with the anisotropy of particle orientation than with the anisotropy of contact normal.Particle shape is more likely to affect AoR by affecting the tangential force than the normal contact force.An analysis based on traction indicates that dips in stress associated with the tangential force (compared with the normal force) and non-spherical particles (compared with spheres) are more significant.For various particle shapes,AoR is positively correlated with friction mobilization but is negatively correlated with friction mobilization for various coefficient of friction.

Bed Load Transport Rates during Scouring and Armoring Processes

Dambreak-induced bed scouring may undermine the foundation of bridge piers and other structures,and that destruction can pose a serious threat.Consequently,this paper aims at exploring the mechanisms of scouring and armoring.Firstly,the incipient velocity for nonuniform sediment particles was studied,and a formula was derived based on the angle of repose of nonuniform sediment.The results showed that the mechanism of incipient motion for sand and fine gravel differed from that for coarse gravel and cobbles.Also,comparison between experimental and field data shows that the results from the proposed formula agree well with those observed for all conditions.Secondly,a birth-death,immigration-emigration Markov process was developed to describe the bed load transport rate associated with scouring and armoring.The comparison between experimental data and computed results shows that our model can predict the bed load transport rate,although there may be some limitations,the chief of which is that there are many variables in the model to be determined through experiment.This makes its application in river engineering inconvenient.

Experimental study on the angle of repose of pulverized coal

An experimental study on the angle of repose （AoR） of pulverized coal with different particle sizes and different moisture contents （MC） was conducted. Three different measurement methods, free-base piling, fixed-base piling and sliding, were used. The data were analyzed by one-way and two-way analysis of variance. The results showed that the AoRs of pulverized coal with particle sizes smaller than 150 μm were in the range of 30-50°. The characterization of the flowability of pulverized coal was some cohesiveness or true cohesiveness. The increase of MC will increase AoR and thus decrease the flowability of the powder. However, the particle size effect is bifurcated. Below a critical size, the decrease of particle size decreases the flowability; while above the critical size, the decrease of particle size increases the flowability. It was found that the value of the critical size strongly depends on the powder density. Moreover, the AoR dependence on particle size could be linked with the Geldart＇s particle classification. The critical size at the turning point is on the boundary between Group A and Group B in Geldart＇s classification diagram. Based on the experimental results, there is no significant cross interaction between particle size and MC. The AoRs measured by free-base method and fixed-base method are close, but both remarkably smaller than that measured by the sliding method.

Angle of repose in the numerical modeling of ballast particles focusing on particle-dependent specifications:Parametric study

The discrete element method(DEM)is widely used in the realistic simulation of the shapes of particles.Researchers have considered the simplification of particle shapes owing to the high computational cost of such simulation.In this regard,the modeling of calibrated particles is a major challenge owing to the simultaneous effects of particle properties.The angle-of-repose test is a standard test method used to calibrate the bulk behavior of simulated particles.In the present study,the hollow-cylinder(slump)test was modeled for the verification of discrete element simulations.In this regard,a sensitivity analysis was conducted for all effective parameters,namely the static friction,rolling friction,restitution coefficient,sphericity,roundness,particle size distribution,and number of ballast particles.The results indicate that the rolling friction,roundness,number of particles,and size of particles are the most important parameters in the determination of the angle of repose(AOR).For particles in the range of ballast(20-60 mm),the effect of the number of particles on the angle of repose is reduced when the number is greater than 426.Additionally,it is concluded that angular particles can be replaced with sub-angular particles(R≈0.2-0.45)with a higher rolling friction coefficient(μ_(r)>0.14).

Drying Technology and Formation Process of Naomai Xingshen Capsules

[Objectives]To optimize the drying technology and formation process of Naomai Xingshen Capsules.[Methods]The yield of paste powder and moisture content as evaluation indicators were taken as indicators,the relative density of feed liquid,inlet air temperature and dosage of excipients were selected as investigation factors,the orthogonal experiment method was used to optimize the spray drying process.The moisture absorption rate and angle of repose were taken as evaluation indicators,the types of forming excipient were screened,and the critical relative humidity was determined.[Results]The optimum spray drying process was that the relative density of liquid medicine was 1.05(60℃),the air inlet temperature was 200℃,and the dosage of excipients was 2%.The effect of using dextrin as a forming excipient was better,and the relative humidity of the production environment should be controlled below 65%.[Conclusions]The optimized process is stable,feasible,scientific and reasonable,and can be used for large-scale industrial production.

Discrete element modeling and verification of the simulation parameters for chopped hybrid Broussonetia papyrifera stems

In this study,the discrete element software EDEM was applied to establish a simulation model of non-uniform-sized particle units for Broussonetia papyrifera stalks,which aimed to address the low utilization rate of existing Broussonetia papyrifera harvesting machinery,the significant variation between the simulated model of Broussonetia papyrifera stalks and their actual appearance,as well as the absence of contact parameter calibration.Through a combination of the free-fall collision method,inclined plane sliding method,and inclined plane rolling method,numerical simulation was conducted to analyze the pattern of variations in contact parameters between Broussonetia papyrifera stalks and the steel material of the machinery.Accordingly,these parameters were calibrated.The results showed that the coefficient of restitution between Broussonetia papyrifera stalks and steel materials was 0.321,the static friction factor was 0.589,and the rolling friction factor was 0.078.With the parameters of contact between Broussonetia papyrifera stalks as variables and the experimentally measured pile angle as the objective of optimization,the steepest ascent experiment and the three-factor five-level rotation combination experiment were conducted.In this way,a second-order response model was constructed to analyze the relationship between the contact parameters and the pile angle.Through the optimization analysis of experimental data,it was determined that the coefficient of restitution between Broussonetia papyrifera stalks was 0.21,the static friction factor was 0.24,and the rolling friction factor was 0.03.Furthermore,the calibration results were validated through experimentation to show that the relative error between the obtained pile angle under the context of optimal parameter combination and the actual one was 4.11%.In addition,the relative error of mass flow rate in spiral transport was within a reasonable range,this study lays a foundation both theoretically and statistically for the simulation of contact parameters for Broussonetia papyrifera stalk harvesting processing,mechanical harvesting,and so on.

Parameter calibration and experimental verification of discrete element simulation model for Protaetia brevitarsis larvae bioconversion mixture

To improve the survival rate of larvae during material separation after biotransformation of existing residual film mixtures of Protaetia brevitarsis larvae,this paper adopts the method of combining physical test and EDEM simulation test,and selects Hertz Mindlin with JKR contact model to calibrate the discrete element simulation contact parameters of the Protaetia brevitarsis larvae and the frass mixture.First,the cylinder lifting method was used to determine the actual repose angle of the mixture of larvae and frass.The collision recovery coefficients between larvae-frass and steel,static friction coefficient,kinetic friction coefficient and the collision recovery coefficient between larvae were measured through physical tests such as the inclined plane method.The Plackett-Burman test was then used to screen out the factors that have a significant impact on the repose angle:Poisson’s ratio of frass,frass-frass rolling friction coefficient,frass JKR surface energy,frass-larvae JKR surface energy.The optimal value intervals of four significant factors were determined based on the steepest climb test,Based on the Box-Behnken response surface analysis test,the second-order regression model between the repose angle and four significant factors was determined,and variance and interaction effects were analyzed.And with the actual repose angle as the goal,the significant factors were optimized and the optimal parameter combination of the four significant factors was determined.The simulation test of material repose angle and screening was carried out with the optimal parameter combination,and compared with the physical test.It was found that the maximum relative errors of the two tests were 1.48%and 3.79%respectively,indicating that the calibrated parameter values are true and reliable,It can provide a reference for the discrete element simulation of the transportation and separation of the Protaetia brevitarsis larvae-frass mixture.

Investigation of interaction effect between static and rolling friction of corn kernels on repose formation by DEM

The coefficient of static friction(SF),the coefficient of rolling friction(RF)for particles are two key parameters affecting the repose angle formation and flow characteristics.In this paper,the interaction effects of SF and RF on the formation process of corn repose angle was investigated by the discrete element method.Firstly,five shape kinds of corn models(horse tooth,spherical cone,spheroid,oblate,and irregular shape)were established.Secondly,aluminum cylinder and organic glass box were used to conduct the simulation experiments with taking SF and RF as independent factors and seeing the repose angle as dependent value.Based on simulation results the regression equations were established.Simulation results showed the relation between two factors and the rotational kinetic energy is not nonlinear,and SF does not significantly restrict the flow of corn models after increasing the flow direction,and the effect of SF on the contact number between corns and the bottom plate is remarkable,while the effect of RF on the contact number is not remarkable.Finally,the interaction effect of two factors on the repose angle was analyzed by variance analysis and results showed SF and RF all have a significant impact on the repose angle.Moreover,their interaction effect has an impact on the repose angle.

Calibration and test of the contact parameters for chopped cotton stems based on discrete element method

In view of the fact that the existing cotton stem simulation models are simplified and have a large discrepancy from the actual appearance and the contact parameters have not been calibrated.In this study,the simulation model and numerical simulation were established using the discrete element software EDEM.Then a second-order response model between contact parameters and repose angle had been constructed.The test result showed that the static friction coefficient,rolling friction coefficient,and coefficient of restitution between cotton stems were crucial factors affecting the repose angle.The determination coefficient corrected determination coefficient and p-value of the second-order response model were R^(2)=0.959,R^(2)_(adj)=0.921,and p<0.0001 respectively.The error values of the comparison between the simulation test results and the corresponding physical test values were all less than 10%,which showed that the model was reliable and had high interpretation and predictability,this study can provide a certain theoretical basis and data support for the setting of contact parameters in the data simulation of cotton stem harvesting and processing,mechanically-harvested film residue crushing and film stem separation,etc.

Contact parameter analysis and calibration in discrete element simulation of rice straw

Discrete element method was used to study and analyze the interaction between rice straws and between rice straw and agricultural machinery parts,thereby providing a scientific basis for post-harvest paddy field processing.Calibrations of rice straw-rice straw,rice straw-agricultural machinery part contact parameters(collision recovery coefficient,static friction coefficient and rolling friction coefficient)constitute an important prerequisite for the discrete element research process.In this study,the collision recovery coefficients of rice straw-steel and rice straw-rice straw were 0.230 and 0.357,respectively,which were calibrated by the collision method.The static friction coefficient and rolling friction coefficient of rice straw-steel were 0.363 and 0.208 respectively,which were calibrated by the inclined plate method and the slope method.The static friction coefficient and rolling friction coefficient of rice straw-rice straw were 0.44 and 0.07,respectively,which were calibrated by the split cylinder method.The paired t-test showed insignificant differences between calibration parameter simulation results and the physical test values(p>0.05).Taking the angle of repose that reflecting rice straw flow and friction characteristics as the evaluation index,the verification tests of the above calibration values indicated that the simulated angle of repose has no significant difference from the physical test value(p>0.05).The side plate lifting test on rice straw of different lengths showed no significant difference between the simulated angle of repose and the physical test value(p>0.05).This study can provide a basis for contact parameters choice in discrete element simulation analysis with rice straw-rice straw and rice straw-agricultural machinery parts as the research object.The calibration method can provide a reference for the contact parameter calibration of other crop straws.

Determination of the coefficient of rolling friction of irregularly shaped maize particles by using discrete element method

The coefficient of rolling friction is a foundation parameter for conducting particles simulation,however,which of irregularly shaped maize seeds is difficult to measure.Furthermore,the coefficient of rolling friction between the simulation particles and the actual seeds is inconsistent due to the shaped difference of model and different position of gravity center.This paper use two methods to determinate the coefficient of rolling friction based on discrete element method(DEM)and physical experiments.Three types of maize models from five different shaped maize samples(including horse-tooth shape,spherical cone shape,spherical shape,oblate shape,irregular shape)were developed with the help of slice modeling and 3D modeling technology.Aluminum cylinder container is used to arrange the simulation experiments of angle of repose with taking the coefficient of rolling friction as independent variables and the simulation angle of repose as target values.After predicting detailed the coefficient of rolling friction(including horse-tooth shape,spherical cone shape,spherical shape,between horse-tooth shape and spherical cone shape,between horse-tooth shape and spherical shape,between spherical shape and spherical cone shape maize models),and forecasting a unified the coefficient of rolling friction among horse-tooth shape,spherical cone shape and spherical shape maize models,two types of materials(aluminum cylinder container and organic glass container)were used to validate the difference the angle of repose between the simulation maize models and actual maize seeds.Results show the relative error of the angle of repose between the maize models controlled by the coefficient of rolling friction through the detailed method and the actual maize seeds is 0.22%,0.33%in aluminum cylinder,organic glass container,respectively.The relative error of the angle of repose between the simulation maize models controlled by the coefficient of rolling friction through the united method and actual maize seeds is 2.47%,2.97%in aluminum cylinder,organic glass container,respectively.Although the difference of the angle of repose between two method is smaller,the detailed method is better.Moreover,From the accumulation process of the angle of repose we found that the difference on the contacts number between maize models and bottom plate,the change curve of the rotational kinetic energy,the potential energy of maize models controlled by the coefficient of rolling friction through the detailed and the united method are evidently.We can choose a better method to predict the coefficient of rolling friction of maize seeds according to the application situation and investigation objective of irregular maize seeds.The results can provide a theoretical basis for designing and optimizing the structure of the seed-metering machine with DEM.

Moisture-dependent physical properties of barley grains

Designing equipment for processing,sorting,sizing and other post-harvest operations of agricultural products requires information about their physical properties.This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of moisture content on some physical properties of barley grains.Four levels of moisture content ranging from 7.34%to 21.58%(d.b.)were used.The average length,width,thickness,arithmetic mean diameter,geometric mean diameter,thousand grain mass,sphericity,surface area and repose angle increased from 8.91 to 9.64 mm,3.30 to 3.74 mm,2.58 to 2.98 mm,4.93 to 5.45 mm,4.23 to 4.75 mm,44.48 to 51.30 g,47.55%to 49.35%,56.66 to 71.09 mm2 and 31.16°to 36.90°,respectively,as moisture content increased from 7.34%to 21.58%(d.b.).The bulk density,true density and porosity were found to decrease with increasing moisture content.The static friction coefficient of the grains increased linearly against various surfaces(plywood,glass and galvanized iron sheet)as the moisture content increased.At all moisture content,the maximum friction was offered by plywood,followed by galvanized iron sheet and glass surface.