Numerical simulation of two-dimensional granular shearing flows and the friction force of a moving slab on the granular media

This paper studies some interesting features of two-dimensional granular shearing flow by using molecular dynamic approach for a specific granular system. The obtained results show that the probability distribution function of velocities of particles is Gaussian at the central part, but diverts from Gaussian distribution nearby the wall. The macroscopic stress along the vertical direction has large fluctuation around a constant value, the non-zero average velocity occurs mainly near the moving wall, which forms a shearing zone. In the shearing movement, the volume of the granular material behaves in a random manner. The equivalent friction coefficient between moving slab and granular material correlates with the moving speed at low velocity, and approaches constant as the velocity is large enough.