• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• 제1권1호
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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.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.195-220
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• 2017

Nowadays, railway system plays a significant role in transportation, conveying cargo, passengers, minerals, grains, and so forth. Railway ballasted track is a conventional railway track as can be seen all over the world. Ballast, located underneath the sleepers, is the most important elements on ballasted track, which has many functions and requires routine maintenance. Ballast needs to be maintained frequently to prevent rail buckling, settlement, misalignment so that ballast has to be modelled accurately. Continuum model was introduced to model granular material and was extended in ballast. However, ballast is a heterogeneous material with highly nonlinear behaviour. Hence, ballast could not be modelled accurately in continuum model due to the discontinuities nature and material degradation of ballast. Discrete element modelling (DEM) is proposed as an alternative approach that provides insight into constitutive model, realistic particle, and contact algorithm between each particle. DEM has been studied in many recent decades. However, there are limitations due to the high computational time and memory consumption, which cause the lack of using in high range. This paper presents a review of recent ballast modelling with benefits and drawbacks. Ballast particles are illustrated either circular, circular crump, spherical, spherical crump, super-quadric, polygonal and polyhedral. Moreover, the gaps and limitations of previous studies are also summarized. The outcome of this study will help the understanding into different ballast modelling and particle. The insight information can be used to improve ballast modelling and monitoring for condition-based track maintenance.

• 한국분말야금학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국분말야금학회 2006년도 Extended Abstracts of 2006 POWDER METALLURGY World Congress Part 1
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• pp.187-188
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• 2006

In contrast with the Finite Element Method, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) takes explicitly into account the particulate nature of powders. DEM exhibits some drawbacks and many advantages. Simulations can be computationally expensive and they are only able to represent a volume element. However, these simulations have the great advantage of providing a wealth of information at the microstructural level. Here we demonstrate that the method is well suited for modelling, in coordination with FEM, the compaction of ceramic $UO_2$ particles that have been aggregated. Aggregates of individual ceramic crystallites that are strongly bonded together are represented by porous spheres.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.477-493
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• 2003

Masonry is not a simple material, the influence of mortar joints as a plane of weakness is a significant feature and this makes the numerical modelling of masonry very difficult especially when dynamic (seismic) analysis is involved. In order to develop a simple numerical model for masonry under earthquake load, an analytical model based on Distinct Element Method (DEM) is being developed. At the first stage, the model is applied to simulate the in-plane shear behaviour of an unreinforced masonry wall with and without opening where the testing results are available for comparison. In DEM, a solid is represented as an assembly of discrete blocks. Joints are modelled as interface between distinct bodies. It is a dynamic process and specially designed to model the behaviour of discontinuities. The numerical solutions obtained from the distinct element analysis are validated by comparing the results with those obtained from existing experiments and finite element modelling.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.815-827
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• 2015

The mechanical behavior of soil and soil-rock mixture is investigated via the discrete element method. A non-overlapping combination method of spheres is used to model convex polyhedron rock blocks of soil-rock mixture in the DEM simulations. The meso-mechanical parameters of soil and soil-rock interface in DEM simulations are obtained from the in-situ tests. Based on the Voronoi cell, a method representing volumtric strain of the sample at the particle scale is proposed. The numerical results indicate that the particle rotation, occlusion, dilatation and self-organizing force chains are a remarkable phenomena of the localization band for the soil and soil-rock mixture samples. The localization band in a soil-rock mixture is wider than that in the soil sample. The current research shows that the 3D discrete element method can effectively simulate the mechanical behavior of soil and soil-rock mixture.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.495-501
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• 2018

Geogrid application that has proved to be an effective and economic method of reinforcing particles, is widely used in geotechnical engineering. The discrete element method (DEM) has been used to investigate the micro mechanics of the geogrid deformation and also the interlocking mechanism that cannot be easily studies in laboratory tests. Two types of realistically shaped geogrid models with square and triangle apertures were developed using parallel bonds in PFC3D. The calibration test simulations have demonstrated that the precisely shaped triangular geogrid model is also able to reproduce the deformation and strength characteristics of geogrids. Moreover, the square and triangular geogrid models were also used in DEM pull-out test simulations with idealized shape particle models for validation. The simulation results have been shown to provide good predictions of pullout force as a function of displacement especially for the initial 30 mm displacement. For the granular material of size 40 mm, both the experimental and DEM results demonstrate that the triangular geogrid of size 75 mm outperforms the square geogrid of size 65 mm. Besides, the simulations have given valuable insight into the interaction between particle and geogrid and also revealed similar deformation behavior of geogrids during pullout. Therefore, the DEM provides a tool which enable to model other possible prototype geogrid and investigate their performance before manufacture.

• 지질공학
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.383-391
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• 2019

Bio-grouting based on microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is recently emerging as a novel and environmentally friendly technique for improvement of coarse-grained ground. To date, the mechanical behaviour of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil with different calcite contents and grain sizes still remains poorly understood. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the influence of calcite content on the mechanical properties of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil with different grain sizes. This is achieved through an integrated study of uniaxial loading experiments of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil, 3D digitization of the grains in conjunction with discrete element modelling (DEM). In the DEM model, aggregates were represented by clump logic based on the 3D morphology digitization of the typical coarse-grained aggregates while the CaCO₃ was represented by small-sized bonded particle model. The computed stress-strain relations and failure patterns of the bio-grouted coarse-grained soil were validated against the measured results. Both experimental and numerical investigation suggest that aggregate sizes and calcite content significantly influence the mechanical behaviour of bio-cemented aggregates. The strength of the bio-grouted coarse-grained soil increases linearly with calcite content, but decreases non-linearly with the increasing particle size for all calcite contents. The experimental-based DEM approach developed in this study also offers an optional avenue for the exploring of micro-mechanisms contributing to the mechanical response of bio-grouted coarse-grained soils.

• 지구물리와물리탐사
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2005

조립질 물질을 이용한 축소모형실험(예를 들어 모래상자실험)을 다양한 크기의 많은 지질학적 문제에 성공적으로 적용되어왔다. 이러한 물리적 실험은 개별요소법(DEM)을 이용하여 수치적으로도 수행될수 있다. 이연구에서는 현재 지구상에서 가장 중요한 지구조적 과정 중의 하나인 인도판과 유라시아판의 충돌문제를 시뮬레이션하기 위해 개별요소법을 적용하였다. 개별요소 시뮬레이션은 구조지질학뿐만 아니라 토질역학, 암석역학 등의 다양한 동역학적 분야에 적용되어왔다. 조사대상이 많은 작은 입자들의 조합으로 가정되기 때문에 개별요소 시뮬레이션은 거대하고 불연속적인 변형이 일어나는 대상을 다룰 수 있다. 그러나 DEM 시뮬레이션에서는 개개 입자에 대한 입력변수들과 전체 물성의 관계에 대해 거의 알려져 있지 않기 때문에 입력 변수들의 타당성을 검증하기 어려운 경우가 자주 있다. 그러므로 이전의 연구들에서는 시행착오에 의해 입력변수를 조정하여만 하였다. 이러한 어려움을 극복하기 위하여, 이 연구에서는 개별요소 시뮬레이션에 수치적인 이축 시험을 도입하였으며, 이러한 수치 시험 결과를 이용하여 충돌 모델에 사용되는 입력변수의 타당성을 검토하였다. 결과적인 층돌 모델은 동 아시아에서 관측되는 실제 변형과 매우 비슷하며, GPS 자료 및 동 아시아의 원위치 응력자료와 잘 대비된다.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제29권 6호
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• pp.361-374
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• 2022

On the premise of ensuring that the automatic and quantitative discharging function of concrete conveyors is met, the accuracy of the weight forecast by the mathematical model of the screw conveying volume is improved, and the error of the weight of the concrete parts and the accumulation thickness is reduced. In this paper, the discrete element method (DEM) is used to simulate the macroscopic flow of concrete. Using the concrete discrete element model, the size of the screw conveyor is set, and establish the response model between the influencing factors (process and structure) and the concrete mass flow rate according to the design points of the screw discharging experiment. The nonlinear data fitting method is used to obtain the volumetric efficiency function under the influence of process and structural factors, and the traditional screw conveying volume model is improved. The mass flow rate of concrete predicted by the improved mathematical model of screw conveying volume is consistent with the test results. The model can accurately describe the conveying process of concrete and achieve the purpose of improving the accuracy of forecasting the weight of discharged concrete.

• 한국터널지하공간학회 논문집
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.1029-1044
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• 2017

개별요소법(Discrete Element Method, DEM)은 다수의 작은 입자들의 운동 및 상호영향을 계산하여 시스템의 거동을 해석하는 수치해석법으로써, 실제 화학공학, 약학, 토목공학, 재료과학, 식품공학 등 다양한 산업현장에서 적용되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 DEM 기법에 근거한 입자 역학 전용 해석 상용 소프트웨어를 사용하여 스포크타입 토압식 쉴드TBM 굴착성능을 평가하기 위한 예비 해석을 수행하였다. TBM에 대한 해석은 커터헤드의 회전속가 다른 2가지 조건에 대해 수행되었다. 해석을 진행하는 동안 커터헤드면에 작용하는 저항 토크, 커터헤드면과 쉴드면에 작용하는 압축력, 스크루 오거를 통해 배출되는 토사의 양을 검토하였다. 해석을 통해 DEM 해석을 이용한 TBM 장비 모델링의 적용성을 검토하였다.