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DEM investigation of particle size distribution effect on direct shear behaviour of granular agglomerates
AIP Conf. Proc. 1145, 401 (2009); 10.1063/1.3179946
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DEM Simulation of Comminution: Fragmentation and Size
Distribution
Yucang Wang+ and Fernando Alonso-Marroquín*
*
ESSCC, the University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4067, Australia
+
MoSCoS, School of Mathematics and Physics, the University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4067 Australia
Abstract. ESyS_Particle, the 3-D Discrete Element Model, is used to model the fracture process and the size
distribution of rock fragmentation under two different loading conditions: 1) Slow uni-axial compression of a ball
aggregate which consists of small bonded particles; 2) Impact of a ball consisting of bonded particles to a stiff wall. We
reproduce the realistic fracture patterns, such as meridional cracks under slow loading and secondary cracks under fast
loading. We observe a transition from damage to fragmentation as impact velocity increases. The latter one is
characterized by generation of fines and a power law distribution of fragment sizes.
Keywords: Discrete Element model, fragmentation, size distribution.
PACS: 45.70
CPl 145, Powders and Grains 2009, Proceedings of the 6 International Conference on
Micromechanics of Granular Media edited by M. Nakagawa and S. Luding
© 2009 American Institute of Physics 978-0-7354-0682-7/09/S25.00
863
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The third one is the way of updating forces and particles are bonded, they belong to the same
torques caused by the relative movements between two fragment. If another particle is bonded to any of the
particles. In other existing DEMs, the incremental particles in the group, it joins the group. This process
method is used to update the interactions between repeats until a particle is not bonded to any of the
particles. Instead of the incremental method, particles in the existing groups, then it starts a new
ESyS_Particle uses the Finite Deformation Method, in group. If two particles from two different fragments
which the total relative (translational and rotational) are found to be linked, then the two fragments are
displacements are calculated at each time step [5]. combined into one. In this way all particles can be
Using quaternion algebra, we proved that [3] an grouped to corresponding groups. By calculating the
arbitrary rotation between two rigid bodies or two volume of each fragment, the size distribution can be
coordinate systems cannot be decomposed into three obtained.
order independent rotations around three orthogonal
axes. However it can be decomposed into two Fragmentation size distribution under
rotations, which correspond to the relative twisting and
slow uni-axial compression
bending between two bodies in our model. The two
rotations are sequence-independent. The beauty of this
Figure 2 shows fracture patterns of a sphere
sequence-independent decomposition is that it respects
consisting of 29117 bonded particles under a slow uni-
the physical law and it is guaranteed that forces and
axial compression driven by two rigid walls. The
torques decided by such a two-step rotation are unique.
colors represent horizontal displacements, and
Numerical results show that when dealing with finite
discontinuities in colors show the formation of
rotations of particles, the incremental method is not as
fractures. Close to two contact zones with the rigid
stable and accurate as the method used in our model
walls, two circular, flatten areas are observed. Detailed
[3]. We also use a different criterion to judge the
studies show that they are two cone shaped fragile
breakage of bonds [2] and study how the spring
regions, formed mainly by shear fractures. Four
stiffnesses should be chosen [4]. Realistic fracture
meridional cracks are clearly seen, which are caused
patterns are reproduced using the ESyS_Particle [5].
by tensile fractures. This kind of pattern is also
Figure 1 shows the 3D fracture pattern of a brittle
observed in laboratory tests [6].
rock-like material under uni-axial compression.
Figure 3 shows the fragmentation size distribution
of Figure 2 at four different loading stages. It plots the
number of fragments within each volume size bin. As
time increases, the size of the largest fragments
decreases and percentages of medium fragments
increase, indicating continuing fracture. We do not
observe a good power law distribution since there are
relatively more large and small pieces. In some
literatures the percentage of particles bigger (or
smaller) than certain volume is plotted against the
volume sizes [7], which can be obtained by integration
from Figure 3.
864
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1 o * V = 7.5
^ • V = 10
* Time step = 200000
* Time step = 280000 "V3 . • V = 20
•Time step = 360000
\ ^VV ^ o V = 30
0.1
0.1 oTime step = 440000
""0, ' '.TJ n
s 1 *
*
0.01 0.01 -Q ' . t--' s.
V '*••.
1 E-3 •cr t 1E-3
\
• 4 - 4 - 4
1E-4 b
1 E-4
FIGURE 3. Fragment size distribution of Figure 2. FIGURE 5. Fragment size distribution of Figure 4.
865
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effects, or is it caused by different physical
mechanisms? How do initial conditions, i.e. input of
the contact parameters, the geometrical packing of the
sample, initial size distribution of particles, effect the
calculated fragmentation size distribution? Besides,
the studies in this paper are still rudimentary and
qualitative. The model is still not an accurate
representation of a rock sample yet since some
parameters, such as the size, porosity, grain size and
macroscopic elasticity etc, are not strictly chosen
according to a specific type of rock. This is why in
Figure 4 and 5 there is no detailed units for velocities
and volumes. Also there are no pre-existed flaws in the
rock at this stage. Accurate calibration and large scale
simulations are required to investigate these problems
in the future.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank for the support of the ACcESS and
AuScope project. FAM is supported by the Australian
Research Council (project number DP0772409) and
the University of Queensland Early Carrier Grant.
REFERENCES
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Physics C4, 1059-1074 (1993).
2. Y. C. Wang, S. Abe, S., Latham and P. Mora, Pure and
Applied Geophysics 163, 1769-1785 (2006).
3. Y. C. Wang, Acta Geotechnica, in print (2008).
4. Y. C. Wang and P. Mora, Journal of Mechanics and
Physics of Solids 56, 3459-3474 (2008) .
5. Y. C. Wang, F. Alonso-Marroquin and P. Mora,
Granular matter, accepted (2009).
6. S. Z. Wu, K. T. Chau and T. X. Yu, Powder Technology
143, 41-55 (2004).
7. C. Thornton, M. T. Ciomocos and M. J. Adams, Powder
Technology 140, 258-267 (2004).
8. F. Kun, and H. J. Herrmann, Phys. Rev. E 59, 2623-2632
(1999).
866
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