Numerical simulations of granular flows in rotating drums operated at medium to high rates (Fr=0.1― 0.2) have been carried out by using a Molecular Dynamics (MD) algorithm that incorporates inelastic particle interactions, sliding friction and rolling friction. The results indicate that the behavior of granular flow in rotating drums can be classified into two distinct zones: a shear active layer at the bed surface and a quasi-static plug flow region adjacent to the wall. The residence time of a tracer particle in the active layer is approximately a third or a half of that in the plug flow region. The thickness of the active layer at mid-chord is about 0.57―0.61 times that of the plug flow region. It is found that all cases simulated in this work are in the rolling-cascading intermediate regime instead of the pure rolling re-gime. The simulated tangential velocity at the mid-chord is also compared with experimental results reported in the literature and good agreement has been obtained. Based on the MD simulations and experimental results, a continuum approach has also been developed. It is shown that the behavior of granular solids in the plug flow region experiences plastic deformation along the radial direction from the wall with the velocity profiles well described by an exponential function, whereas the active layer velocity follows a simple expression for the Couette shear flow. Discussion has also been made on the granular temperature and concentration profiles.
