DEM GPU studies of industrial scale particle simulations for granular flow civil engineering applications

Patrick Pizette,Nor-Edine Abriak,Nicolin Govender,Daniel N Wilke,F Radjai,S Nezamabadi,J.Y Delenne,S Luding

doi:10.1051/epjconf/201714003071

Abstract

The use of the Discrete Element Method (DEM) for industrial civil engineering industrial applications is currently limited due to the computational demands when large numbers of particles are considered. The graphics processing unit (GPU) with its highly parallelized hardware architecture shows potential to enable solution of civil engineering problems using discrete granular approaches. We demonstrate in this study the pratical utility of a validated GPU-enabled DEM modeling environment to simulate industrial scale granular problems. As illustration, the flow discharge of storage silos using 8 and 17 million particles is considered. DEM simulations have been performed to investigate the influence of particle size (equivalent size for the 20/40-mesh gravel) and induced shear stress for two hopper shapes. The preliminary results indicate that the shape of the hopper significantly influences the discharge rates for the same material. Specifically, this work shows that GPU-enabled DEM modeling environments can model industrial scale problems on a single portable computer within a day for 30 seconds of process time.

Highlights

IntroductionThe geometrical properties that include particle shape, particle size distribution, surface roughness (texture) have a significant effect on the packing density of the particles
Granular materials are one of the most widely used materials in civil engineering
This paper demonstrates the pratical utility of the graphics processing unit (GPU) using a validated GPU-enabled Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation environment to solve an industrial scale granular problem within a day for which purposes we selected 8 million particles

Summary

Introduction

The geometrical properties that include particle shape, particle size distribution, surface roughness (texture) have a significant effect on the packing density of the particles. More importantly these properties significantly affect the macroscopic flow behavior i.e. they influence the mechanical properties that include dissipative and restoring forces between contact pairs. The Discrete Element Method (DEM) proposed by Cundall and Stack [1] for geotechnical applications, is starting to mature to the degree that numerous and diverse industrial civil engineering applications are being considered [11]. Even though numerous assumptions such as limiting particle shapes to spheres have been employed, the current processing ability of the CPU has limited the advances for industrially relevant simulations. This paper demonstrates the pratical utility of the GPU using a validated GPU-enabled DEM simulation environment to solve an industrial scale granular problem within a day for which purposes we selected 8 million particles

DEM GPU Approach

Industrial scale simulations

Industrial storage silo modeling

Silo Discharge

Applied mechanical stress on the silo

Conclusion