Empirical assessment of the critical time increment in explicit particulate discrete element method simulations

M Otsubo and C O'Sullivan and T Shire, COMPUTERS AND GEOTECHNICS, 86, 67-79 (2017).

DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2016.12.022

This contribution considers the critical time increment (Delta t(crit)) to achieve stable simulations using particulate discrete element method (DEM) codes that adopt a Verlet-type time integration scheme. The Delta t(crit) is determined by considering the maximum vibration frequency of the system. Based on a series of parametric studies, Delta t(crit) is shown to depend on the particle mass (m), the maximum contact stiffness (Km), and the maximum particle coordination number (C-N,C-max). Empirical expressions relating Delta t(crit) to m, K-max, and C-N,C-max are presented; while strictly only valid within the range of simulation scenarios considered here, these can inform DEM analysts selecting appropriate Delta t(crit) values. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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