The Savage-Hutter (SH) theory (1989) of dense granular avalanche flow uses an earth pressure coefficient Kx which depends on the internal angle of friction and the bed friction angle but assumes different values in diverging and converging flows. So the earth pressure coefficient is undefined when the strain rate ∂u/∂x changes sign. Steady plane flow of a finite mass of a cohesionless granular material in a permanently rotating drum admits an exact solution of the SH-equations at ∂u/∂x = 0 provided the value for Kx is prescribed. However, avalanche profiles depend on the values of Kx. Experiments on avalanche shapes in steady rotating drums offer therefore a possibility to identify the value of Kx at zero strain rate.
