Efficient Voronoi volume estimation for DEM simulations of granular materials under confined conditions

Abstract

The discrete element method (DEM), developed by Cundall and Strack , has established itself as the de facto standard technique for micromechanical simulations of granular systems in diverse application areas (e.g. , ). The method is fairly efficient, at least in relative terms, owing to the generally employed simplified contact models. Assuming mechanical independence of contacts, interparticle forces are defined in terms of certain functions of the particle overlap (e.g. , ). Although the majority of applications of the DEM have been related to dynamical processes with limited particle deform