Multiphase models of granular materials

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Granular materials are usually composed of grains of different sizes and may contain interstitial fluid that adds further complexity to their behavior. This project will develop new mathematical models to describe the flow dynamics as well as the particle-size segregation and phase separation that can occur as the grains are sheared during flow. It is anticipated that new forms of waves will develop in such systems, which will have evolving regions with different fluid saturation and/or grain size. Simple small-scale experiments will be performed to investigate what waves develop, and these will be used to help motivate the development of the theory, which will build on the mu(I) rheology for granular materials. Where possible, simplified depth-averaged models will be developed to construct travelling-wave-type solutions. This project will therefore enhance our understanding of multiphase granular materials in which the evolving particle-size distribution and fluid saturation have strong feedbacks on the bulk flow dynamics.