Combined influence of particle friction and inertia on hysteresis in granular media on an inclined plane

When a static granular layer on a rough inclined plane is set in motion, the inclination angle at which a steady granular flow is observed is higher than the one observed when a granular flow is brought to rest by reducing progressively the inclination angle. This hysteretic phenomenon at the static-flowing transition in granular media is numerically investigated. This work highlights the physical mechanisms responsible for hysteresis: a combination of inter-particles friction and particles inertia. Their influence on hysteresis are quantified and characterized through the evolution of the granular microstructure describing the contact network.