<p>The entrainment effects of granular flows are widespread and significantly impact their dynamics. This study uses the discrete element method to create a chute model simulating the granular flow entrainment process. It examines how entrainment affects erosive force, flow behavior, and energy, considering various flow volumes, soil cohesion strengths, and distances from the entrainment zone to the source area. Results show that the basal normal and shear forces are minimally influenced by particle cohesion in the entrainment zone but are significantly affected by flow volume and distance from the source. The primary factors influencing shear and normal forces are, in order: distance from the source, volume, and cohesion strength. For entrainment volume, the order is: volume, distance, and cohesion strength. Energy monitoring reveals that entrainment significantly impacts the kinetic energy and velocity of granular flows, with a bimodal evolution as the distance increases. Entrainment increases collisional energy dissipation, reducing the overall kinetic energy of granular flows. The result enhances the understanding of the mechanisms of granular flow entrainment. </p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>