Author(s)

M. Valek & P. Prochazka

Abstract

The BEM formulation of distinct element method M. Valek & P. Prochazka Czech Technical University Prague Czech Republic Abstract The distinct element method (DEM) consists of discretization of a contin- uum into particles, which may be of different shape. In comparison with continuum the concept studied in this paper leads to a possibly disconnect- ing medium, which is the case of, for example, soil. The soil is created from several phases, one of them is stone. This relatively stiff phase is simulated by a ball in 3D, or a circle in 2D. The particles are in mutual contact and the contact is realized by springs in both normal and tangential directions. The particles are considered to be rigid in the DEM. The springs express the elastic properties of material characteristics of both "stones" and "clay". The most complicated problem is to determine the properties of the springs. Our objective in this paper is to avoid this difficulty by solving the balls, or circles

Keywords