Abstract
The principle of similarity in the mechanics of granular materials is investigated. The fundamental equations including the equations of stress and moment equilibrium, the equation of continuity, the geometrical relation, the stress-strain relations and the boundary conditions are taken into consideration, and six dimensionless numbers are obtained.
The following are deduced from them:
(1) Stress in a granular system in a storage vessel such as a silo is proportional to the height of storage vessel.
(2) The total discharge time is proportional to the square root of the height of the storage vessel.
(3) The flow-out velocity from the discharge gate is proportional to the square root of the gate diameter.
(4) The volumetric flow-out velocity is proportional to the 2.5 th power of the gate diameter.
