Symbolic computation of the flow of granular avalanches (Q920674)

The two-dimensional flow of a mass of cohesionless granular material down a rough bed is studied by the use of the method of moving coordinates. The paper is relevant to the motion of rock falls, ice avalanches and dense flowing snow avalanches. By appropriate non-dimensionalization, a small parameter, which is the ratio of the characteristic length to depth of the pile, appears in the equations of motion. Perturbation expansions for the depth and velocity profiles of the moving mass, and the moving coordinates are introduced. The differential equations for terms of various orders are solved and the resulting divergent series are summed by the use of Shanks transformation and Padé approximations. Some special problems are then solved. Computer solutions rather than analytical solutions are mainly used. The paper gives a new look on the subject.