Simulations of collision times in gravity-driven granular flow

Department of Applied Mathematics, The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario N6A 5B8, Canada

Received: 25 May 2006
Accepted: 11 September 2006

Abstract

We use simulations to investigate collision time distributions as one approaches the static limit of steady-state flow of dry granular matter. The collision times fall in a power law distribution with an exponent dictated by whether the grains are ordered or disordered. Remarkably, the exponents have almost no dependence on dimension. We are also able to resolve a disagreement between simulation and experiments on the exponent of the collision time power law distribution.