Characterization of fluctuations in granular hopper flow

We present a 2D discrete modelling of sand flow through a hopper using realistic grain shapes. A post-processing method is used to assess the local fluctuations in terms of void ratio, coordination number, velocity magnitude, and mean stress. The characteristics of fluctuations associated with the four considered quantities along the vertical axis of the hopper and across the entire hopper are carefully examined. The flow fluctuations for coordination number, velocity magnitude and mean stress are all found to take the form of radial waves originating from the lower centre of the hopper and propagating in the opposite direction of the granular flow. Quantitative characteristics of these waves (shape, amplitude, frequency, velocity, etc.) are identified. The fluctuations in void ratio however are not supportive of the observation of density waves in the granular flow as mentioned in some experiments. The possible reasons for this apparent contradiction are discussed, as well as possible extensions of this work.