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Stress based multi-contact model for discrete-element simulations

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to introduce a stress-based non-binary contact model missing in classical discrete element method (DEM). To tackle this issue, a classical force-displacement contact law is generalized by utilizing the trace of the particle stress tensor to make all contacts dependent on all other contacts of a particle and thus, to account for multiple contacts simultaneously acting on a single particle. Simulation results for uniaxial confined (oedometric) compression employing our new multi-contact model were compared with the classical discrete element formulation, an existing strain-based multi-contact model, and experimental data. The satisfactory agreement between these results supports the validity of our new contact model. Several test examples at higher load levels show that our generalized contact model is able to capture the stronger non-linearity at higher stresses. Due to its simplicity, the proposed multi-contact model can easily be integrated in any DEM implementation, remaining relatively fast when compared to more complex methods or even a discretization of particles, e.g. by FEM.

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Acknowledgements

The economic support of the European Community under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Initial Training Network FP7 (ITN607453) TMAPPP is gratefully acknowledged. We would like to thank the collaboration with Vanessa Magnanimo and A.H. Lasschuit. At the same time, the authors would also like to thank Benedikt Finke, Ramon Cabiscol, Dimitri Ivanov, Marcel Schrader, Christoph Thon and Clara Sangrós for their valuable input regarding the implementation of the code.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Particle Technology (iPAT), Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUBS), Volkmaroder Str. 5, 38104, Braunschweig, Germany

    K. Giannis, C. Schilde, J. H. Finke & A. Kwade

  2. Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUBS), Franz-Liszt-Str. 35A, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany

    K. Giannis, C. Schilde, J. H. Finke & A. Kwade

  3. Centre Internacional de Metodes Numerics a l’Enginyeria (CIMNE), Barcelona, Spain

    M. A. Celigueta

  4. Multi-Scale Mechanics, TFE, ET, MESA+, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands

    K. Taghizadeh & S. Luding

  5. Institute of Applied Mechanics (CE), SC SimTech, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

    K. Taghizadeh

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  1. K. Giannis
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Appendix

Appendix

Pseudo-code used in the LIGGGHTS-DEM platform to obtain the global force acting on a particle.

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Giannis, K., Schilde, C., Finke, J.H. et al. Stress based multi-contact model for discrete-element simulations. Granular Matter 23, 17 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-020-01060-8

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