Investigation techniques and physical aspects of the angle of repose of granular matter

The repose of granular materials is investigated via two different Discrete Element Method (DEM) implementations in comparison with an experimental reference from a recently proposed benchmark setup. On a methodological standpoint, a rigorous measurement method of the angle of repose (AOR) is first proposed for plane-strain and axisymmetric conditions as encountered in the reference experiments.Additionally, two systematic procedures are designed in order to also determine the void ratio of the heap, as a fundamental property of granular matter possibly influencing the AOR. A physical discussion is then developed on the role of particle shape, considering the non-spherical nature of reference particles with a convexity value of C = 0.954 . Adoping non-convex multi-spheres aggregates (i.e. clumps), the first DEM modelling approach successfully predicts the AOR within a 8