The effect of particle shape on the angle of repose test based calibration of discrete element models

Abstract

Discrete element method (DEM) is a Lagrangian description based numerical technique used for modelling the mechanical behavior of granular materials. For using the DEM model, the micromechanical parameter values used in the governing equations must be determined beforehand. This is the so-called calibration problem. In most of the cases these micromechanical parameters cannot be directly measured, their values must be systematically changed until the modeled macro behavior of the granular assembly will be the same, as the real-life behavior. In this article we propose the simplest possible calibration method, the so-called angle of repose test for application in case of agricultural crop product related problems. We examine the effect of particle shape on the value of angle of repose, ad give statistically acceptable empirical function to describe this dependence mathematically.