Abstract
This study aims to identify discrete element model parameters of rock-like materials. An inverse procedure is developed to determine the discrete element model parameters from experimental measurements. This involves the solution of an inverse problem through minimizing the misfit function which describes the error between numerical computation and experiment by an optimization procedure. In this procedure, the discrete element method is adopted as the numerical calculation method of the forward problem. The orthogonal experimental design is used for parameter sensitivity analysis. Besides, the approximation model with radial basis function is adopted instead of the actual calculation model to reduce the time of forward calculation. The ant-colony optimization algorithm is employed as the inverse operator. Therefore, the parameters of the discrete element model are optimized by this procedure. The three-point bending experiment with discrete element simulation is provided to verify the validity and accuracy of the inversion results. The results indicate that it can rapidly obtain the available and reliable model parameters just through a few sets of experimental data. As a result, this inverse procedure can be applied more widely to parameter identification of the discrete element model for brittle materials.
Highlights
With the rapid development of rock engineering, especially the tunnel construction for high-speed rails [1], shale gas exploitation [2], and construction of protective engineering [3], the working efficiency and life of large rock breaking machinery such as the tunnel boring machine (TBM) are widely concerned
The microscopic parameters of the discrete element method (DEM) for granite have been determined by using the inverse procedure
To identify the microscopic parameters, the error between the synthetic measurements and the calculated data has been minimized by the inverse technique
Summary
With the rapid development of rock engineering, especially the tunnel construction for high-speed rails [1], shale gas exploitation [2], and construction of protective engineering [3], the working efficiency and life of large rock breaking machinery such as the tunnel boring machine (TBM) are widely concerned. Us, numerical computation has provided a new way for investigating the mechanical properties of materials. The “trial and error” method for identifying the microscopic parameters depends on previous experience, with randomness and blindness. E inverse method for parameter identification is aimed at searching the optimal input parameters such that the model responses best match the experimental data. E inverse method for identifying the DEM parameters uses the complex relationship between the macroscopic responses from experimental measurements and the microscopic input constants. As a number of accurate experimental responses are obtained, the unknown microscopic input parameters of the DEM can be determined through solving the inverse problem, which is properly established. E aim of this study, is to propose an effective inverse technique for determining the model parameters of the DEM for rock-like materials.
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