Effects of cylindrical particle properties on pile formation

Abstract

Cylindrical particles are common in nature and many industries and their stacking behavior will affect production. The slope angle and porosity are two main parameters affecting the packing and mixing phenomenon. In this work, the influences of the properties of cylindrical particles on the shape, slope angle, and packing fraction of particle piles were investigated using discrete element method (DEM). The results showed that Young’s modulus and Poisson's ratio of cylindrical particles have minor influences on pile formation. The slope angle and packing fraction both decrease with increases in the restitution coefficient. Furthermore, the static and rolling friction coefficients directly affect the shape and slope angle of the pile. The effect of the sliding friction coefficient on the packing fraction at the bottom of the pile is much greater than that of the rolling friction coefficient.