Parameter Calibration for Discrete Element Simulation of the Interaction between Loose Soil and Thrown Components after Ginseng Land Tillage

Abstract

Given the lack of accurate and reliable discrete element simulation parameters to study the interactions between soft soil and soil casting components after ginseng land cultivation in Northeast China and the design of ginseng land-specific borders, this paper calibrates the relevant model parameters of ginseng soil using the Hertz–Mindlin with JKR contact model in EDEM to standardize the contact parameters between soil particles and between soil and Q235 steel in soft soil after cultivation in ginseng land. Taking the soil particle accumulation angle as the response value, a Box–Behnken design (BBD) was introduced to establish a regression model for the soil accumulation angle; the surface energy, static friction coefficient, rolling friction coefficient, and coefficient of restoration parameters were obtained, respectively, through the optimization of the model, at which time, the simulated value of the soil accumulation angle was 37°, which is a 4% relative error to the actual measured accumulation angle of 35.5°. Taking the sliding friction angle of the soil on the Q235 steel plate as the response value, the regression model of the soil sliding friction angle was obtained based on the BBD. The static friction factor, rolling friction factor, and coefficient of restitution between the soil particles and the Q235 steel were obtained, respectively. Based on the combination of these parameters, the simulated value of the sliding friction angle was 32.2°, which is a 2% relative error to the measured accumulation angle of 31.5°. To verify the accuracy of the optimized simulation parameters, field and simulation tests of soil-throwing components were conducted. The results show that the maximum relative error between the measured value and the simulation value is 5.6% and 3.4%. The error is within an acceptable range, and the simulation test and field test soil-throwing effects are the same, which verifies the accuracy and reliability of the reference soil parameter calibration. The results of the study can be used for discrete element simulation analysis of the interaction between ginseng loam and touchdown components and their structural optimization.