Unsteady overflow behavior of polydisperse granular flows against closed type barrier

Abstract The overflow behavior of polydisperse granular flows against closed type barrier is a crucial yet poorly understood aspect of multiple-barrier design. We use a robust numerical model based on the three-dimensional discrete element method to simulate polydisperse granular flows and identify fundamental mechanisms. The morphology of the dead zone behind the upstream barrier significantly influences the overflow behavior of granular flows. This implies that aside from the case of a gentler barrier (