Three-dimensional discrete element simulation for granular materials

Purpose - Develop a new three-dimensional discrete element code (BLOKS3D) for efficient simulation of polyhedral particles of any size. The paper describes efficient algorithms for the most important ingredients of a discrete element code. Design/methodology/approach - New algorithms are presented for contact resolution and detection (including neighbor search and contact detection sections), contact point and force detection, and contact damping. In contact resolution and detection, a new neighbor search algorithm called TLS is described. Each contact is modeled with multiple contact points. A non-linear force-displacement relationship is suggested for contact force calculation and a dual-criterion is employed for contact damping. The performance of the algorithm is compared to those currently available in the literature. Findings - The algorithms are proven to significantly improve the analysis speed. A series of examples are presented to demonstrate and evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms and the overall discrete element method (DEM) code. Originality/value - Long computational times required to simulate large numbers of particles have been a major hindering factor in extensive application of DEM in many engineering applications. This paper describes an effort to enhance the available algorithms and further the engineering application of DEM.