Experimental study on the combined influence of particle shape, density, and size on segregation behavior in binary and ternary granular mixtures

Segregation of granular materials is a common experience; however, a few studies consider the segregation of granular mixtures characterized by variations in particle shape. Additionally, many particle systems in industry and geophysics consist of nonspherical particles. In the present study, we conducted a series of experiments to investigate the influence of particle shape, density, and size on the dynamic characteristics and segregation behavior in binary and ternary granular mixtures. Our experimental findings demonstrated a noteworthy correlation between the final steady-state segregation intensity and the proportion of non-spherical beans and cube-shaped particles in a ternary granular mixture. Specifically, the presence of beans, which are larger than the other particles, in a binary and ternary granular mixture increased the size-induced segregation phenomenon. Conversely, the steady-state segregation intensity decreased as the proportion of cube particles, which were less dense but of the same volume as the other materials, increased in a ternary granular mixture, indicating a mitigation of density-induced segregation. The study also discusses the relationship among the dynamic angle of repose, dynamic properties, and segregation behavior arising from the effects of shape, size, and density in binary and ternary granular mixtures.