Scaling Of Discrete Element Model Parameters In Uniaxial Test Simulation

This study investigates the scaling of DEM model parameters that are necessary to produce scale independent predictions for cohesionless and cohesive solid under confined compression and unconfined compression to failure. A bilinear elasto-plastic adhesive frictional contact model was used¹. The results show that contact stiffness (both normal and tangential) for loading and unloading scales linearly with the particle size and the adhesive force scales very well with the square of the particle size. This scaling law would allow scaled up particle DEM model to exhibit bulk mechanical loading response in uniaxial test that is similar to a material comprised of much smaller particles. This is a first step towards a mesoscopic representation of a cohesive powder that is phenomenological based to produce the key bulk characteristics of a cohesive solid and has the potential to gain considerable computational advantage for large scale DEM simulations.