INTEGRATING PARTICLE DYNAMICS AND BOUNDARY KINEMATICS IN DISCRETE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Abstract eng:
Recent trends in modelling of granular flows suggest that discrete element analysis is changing from being purely a research tool to a method for simulating industrial scale problems. This paper describes developments that address a critical aspect of modelling industrial granular flows, namely the representation within the discrete element framework of the geometry and kinematics of complex boundary surfaces such as containing structures and machinery that interact with particulate media. Methodology for modelling the three-dimensional surface profile of machine elements of arbitrary shape and for applying arbitrary kinematic properties is described. The surface of the machine (or any structure) is first defined as an ACIS-type model and this is then tessellated into discrete surface elements using techniques common to finite element meshing. These elements can be grouped and the groups translated and rotated as desired. A machine element can also respond to loading from particles and change position depending on how it is constrained. The method is designed to work with sphere-based particle shape descriptors such as single spheres or multi-sphere particles (see Favier et al, Eng. Comp ., 16(4): 467-480, 1999). The method provides a very flexible system for integrating particle and boundary kinematics.

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