• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.315-334
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• 2015

This study's primary aim is to check the existence of a representative volume element for granular materials and determine the link between the properties (responses) of macro structures and the size of the discrete particle assembly used to represent a constitutive relation in a two-scale model. In our two-scale method the boundary value problem on the macro level was solved using finite element method, based on the Cosserat continuum; the macro stresses and modulus were obtained using a solution of discrete particle assemblies at certain element integration points. Meanwhile, discrete particle assemblies were solved using discrete element method under boundary conditions provided by the macro deformation. Our investigations focused largely on the size effects of the discrete particle assembly and the radius of the particle on macro properties, such as deformation stiffness, bearing capacity and the residual strength of the granular structure. According to the numerical results, we suggest fitting formulas linking the values of different macro properties (responses) and size of discrete particle assemblies. In addition, this study also concerns the configuration and displacement fluctuation of discrete particle assemblies on the micro level, accompanied with the evolution of bearing capacity and deformation on the macro level.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.51-60
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• 2016

PURPOSES : The applicability of the mechanics-based similarity concept (suggested by Feng et al.) for determining scaled variables, including length and load, via laboratory-scale tests and discrete element analysis, was evaluated. METHODS: Several studies on the similarity concept were reviewed. The exact scaling approach, a similarity concept described by Feng, was applied in order to determine an analytical solution of a free-falling ball. This solution can be considered one of the simplest conditions for discrete element analysis. RESULTS : The results revealed that 1) the exact scaling approach can be used to determine the scale of variables in laboratory tests and numerical analysis, 2) applying only a scale factor, via the exact scaling approach, is inadequate for the error-free replacement of small particles by large ones during discrete element analysis, 3) the level of continuity of flowable materials such as SCC and cement mortar seems to be an important criterion for evaluating the applicability of the similarity concept, and 4) additional conditions, such as the kinetics of particle, contact model, and geometry, must be taken into consideration to achieve the maximum radius of replacement particles during discrete element analysis. CONCLUSIONS : The concept of similarity is a convenient tool to evaluate the correspondence of scaled laboratory test or numerical analysis to physical condition. However, to achieve excellent correspondence, additional factors, such as the kinetics of particles, contact model, and geometry, must be taken into consideration.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-31
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• 2008

The present paper presents multiscale modelling via coupling of the discrete and finite element methods. Theoretical formulation of the discrete element method using spherical or cylindrical particles has been briefly reviewed. Basic equations of the finite element method using the explicit time integration have been given. The micr-macro transition for the discrete element method has been discussed. Theoretical formulations for macroscopic stress and strain tensors have been given. Determination of macroscopic constitutive properties using dimensionless micro-macro relationships has been proposed. The formulation of the multiscale DEM/FEM model employing the DEM and FEM in different subdomains of the same body has been presented. The coupling allows the use of partially overlapping DEM and FEM subdomains. The overlap zone in the two coupling algorithms is introduced in order to provide a smooth transition from one discretization method to the other. Coupling between the DEM and FEM subdomains is provided by additional kinematic constraints imposed by means of either the Lagrange multipliers or penalty function method. The coupled DEM/FEM formulation has been implemented in the authors' own numerical program. Good performance of the numerical algorithms has been demonstrated in a number of examples.

• Journal of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.1033-1046
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• 1999

This paper is devoted to the point wise error estimate up to boundary for the standard finite element solution of Poisson equation with Dirichlet boundary condition. Our new approach used the discrete maximum principle for the discrete harmonic solution. once the mesh in our domain satisfies the $\beta$-condition defined by us, the discrete harmonic solution with dirichlet boundary condition has the discrete maximum principle and the pointwise error should be bounded by L-errors newly obtained.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.19-36
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• 2013

In the finite element analysis of reinforced concrete structures, discrete representation of the steel reinforcing bars is considered advantageous over smeared representation because of the more realistic modelling of their bond-slip behaviour. However, there is up to now limited research on how to simulate the dowel action of discrete reinforcing bars, which is an important component of shear transfer in cracked concrete structures. Herein, a numerical model for the dowel action of discrete reinforcing bars is developed. It features derivation of the dowel stiffness based on the beam-on-elastic-foundation theory and direct assemblage of the dowel stiffness matrix into the stiffness matrices of adjoining concrete elements. The dowel action model is incorporated in a nonlinear finite element program based on secant stiffness formulation and application to deep beams tested by others demonstrates that the incorporation of dowel action can improve the accuracy of the finite element analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.59-68
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• 2007

The comparative study using the lab-scale experiment and the discrete element analysis is attempted to analyze the cross-anisotropic elasticity of granular soils. The lab-scale experiment consists of the small stress-controlled triaxial cyclic tests and the bender element tests. In the discrete element analysis the simulations of lab-scale cyclic tests are conducted in the various directions. Good agreement between the experimental data and the simulation on the elastic properties in the axial and shear directions confirms the usefulness of the discrete element method. The comparative analysis of the difference in the experimental data and the simulation of radial cyclic tests shows that the discrete element method can successfully be used to check the reasonable magnitude of each measurement in the experiments.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• v.40 no.5_6
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• pp.949-958
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• 2022

The aim of this papaer is to prove the discrete compactness property for modified Raviart-Thomas element(MRT) of lowest order on quadrilateral meshes. Then MRT space can be used for eigenvalue problems, and is more efficient than the lowest order ABF space since it has less degrees of freedom.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.412-415
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• 2010

Research about pedestrian flow in the view of sociology and psychology has been studied for more than a few decade. Due to the advance of computational facility, computational study for pedestrian flow extended to the field of architecture and traffic engineering. However, there is few study for the extremely high dense condition where pedestrian flow is driven by contact force among pedestrian. In this research, we analyze highly dense pedestrian flow using discrete element method

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.174-178
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• 2003

This paper presents the development of 2-dimensional discrete element algorithm to generate circle and line elements for the simulation of the ballast and sleeper in railway. An example of randomly distributed circle elements show a good applicability of this algorithm for the modeling of the behaviors of ballast. The output about unbalaned force, particle velocity, and total energy conservation from the code is evaluated to check if the calculation is conducted properly.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.262-263
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• 2006

The free sintering of metallic powders blended with non sintering inclusions is investigated by the Discrete Element Method (DEM). Each particle, whatever its nature (metallic or inclusion) is modeled as a sphere that interacts with its neighbors. We investigate the retarding effect of the inclusions on the sintering kinetics. Also, we present a simple coarsening model for the metallic particles, which allows large particles to grow at the expense of the smallest.