Applicability Evaluation of Similarity Principle in Discrete Element Analysis

Abstract

The discrete element method (DEM) that has recognized as a powerful numerical analysis tool is used in many scientific and engineering fields because it has a great potential to analyze the dynamic behavior of solid, granular, and fluidal materials in discrete manner. However, when DEM is applied to simulate massive material handling cases, the computational cost of DEM becomes a critical issue. Therefore, there are growing needs to reduce computational cost by finding mechanistically reasonable scale adjustment factor or method without losing the similarity or similitude of discrete element analysis for given laboratory or field conditions. In this paper, a mechanics-based scaling method for static liquid bridge model to reduce computational time is suggested by utilizing the existing scaling factor determination method with particle replacement concept. Although the method needs to be improved by introducing contact model property adjustment method for more realistic simulation, it can be applied for the static liquid bridge model to reasonably simulate the fluidal behaviour of particles with reduced computational time in discrete element analysis.