Fluid-particle interaction regimes during the evolution of turbidity currents from a coupled LES/DEM model

•A LES-DEM coupling method is used to simulate a turbidity current in order to investigate the fluid-particle interactions.•The process of lock-exchange turbidity current over a flat bed includes two stages: a first stage in which particles are accelerating and a second stage in which they are decelerating.•Lift force induced by fluid vorticity and slip velocity between two phases has an important effect on the evolution of the turbidity current.