Prediction/Verification of Particle Motion in One Dimension with the Discrete-Element Method
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 7, Issue 5
Abstract
Although the availability of discrete-element method (DEM) codes has improved, the need still exists to solve simple verification problems to obtain an understanding of these codes. Different DEM codes may have subtle differences in the manner in which the method is implemented, and the significance of these differences may be problem dependent. This paper investigates a series of simple, one and two-particle contact problems. These problems, which employ various types of damping, are shown to be equivalent to classical one-dimensional vibration problems. The solutions are discussed in the context of the DEM, and results from the DEM are shown to compare very well with the classical solutions. It is demonstrated that results from a well-known commercial two-dimensional code (PFC2D) and the open source three-dimensional code (YADE) yield identical solutions to these problems provided the problem solution process is manipulated properly. A discussion of the differences in how gravity and damping are implemented may be of interest to users of PFC2D.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported in part by Grant No. DOEDE-FG05-88-ER-13869 of the U.S. Department of Energy and by the cooperative agreement between the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
References
Bishop, R. E. D., and Johnson, D. C. (1960). The mechanics of vibration, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Cook, R., Malkus, D., and Plesha, M. (2001). Concepts and applications of finite element analysis, 4th Ed., Wiley, New York, 383–388.
Cundall, P. A. (1987). “Distinct element models of rock and soil structure.” Analytical and computational methods in engineering rock mechanics, E. T. Brown, ed., George Allen and Unwin, London, 129–163.
Cundall, P. A., and Strack, O. D. L. (1979). “A discrete numerical model for granular assemblies.” Geotechnique, 29(1), 47–65.
Galizzi, O., and Kozicki, J. (2005). “YADE—Yet another dynamic engine.” ⟨http://yade.berlios.de⟩ (Aug. 21, 2005).
Ginsberg, J. H., and Genin, J. (1984). Statics and dynamics, Wiley, Hoboken, N.J.
Hentz, S., Daudeville, L., and Donze, F. V. (2004). “Identification and validation of a discrete element model for concrete.” J. Eng. Mech., 130(6), 709–719.
Hockney, R. W. (1970). Method of computational physics, Academic, New York, Vol. 9, 135–211.
Itasca. (2004). The PFC2D user’s manual, ⟨http://www.itascacg.com⟩ (Sept. 16, 2005).
Jensen, R. P., Edil, T. B., Bosscher, P. J., Plesha, M. E., and Ben Kahla, N. (2001). “Effect of particle shape on interface behavior of DEM-simulated granular materials.” Int. J. Geomech., 1(1), 1–19.
Maplesoft. (2005). “Maple’s help system.” ⟨http://www.maplesoft.com⟩ (May 13, 2005).
Richards, K., Bithell, M., Dove, M., and Hodge, R. (2004). “Discrete-element modelling: Methods and applications in the environmental sciences.” Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, Ser. A, 362(1822), 1797–1816.
Thomson, W. T. (1993). Theory of vibration with applications, Prentice- Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Williams, J. R., Hocking, G., and Mustoe, G. G. W. (1985). “The theoretical basis of the discrete element method.” NUMETA 1985, numerical methods of engineering, theory and applications, Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 897–906.
Yao, M., and Anandarajah, A. (2003). “Three-dimensional discrete element method of analysis of clays.” J. Eng. Mech., 129(6), 585–596.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 9, 2006
Accepted: Nov 27, 2006
Published online: Sep 1, 2007
Published in print: Sep 2007
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.