Abstract
SummaryAn algorithm is presented for discrete element method simulations of energy‐conserving systems of frictionless, spherical particles in a reversed‐time frame. This algorithm is verified, within the limits of round‐off error, through implementation in the LAMMPS code. Mechanisms for energy dissipation such as interparticle friction, damping, rotational resistance, particle crushing, or bond breakage cannot be incorporated into this algorithm without causing time irreversibility. This theoretical development is applied to critical‐state soil mechanics as an exemplar. It is shown that the convergence of soil samples, which differ only in terms of their initial void ratio, to the same critical state requires the presence of shear forces and frictional dissipation within the soil system.
Highlights
Most simulations aim to model a real system with maximal fidelity, limited by practical considerations such as the finite nature of computational resources
There is a second category of simulations in which some nonphysical element is deliberately introduced into a simulated system in order to further our understanding of the real system
The imposition of a drag force is a time-reversible means of dissipating energy from a discrete element method (DEM) simulation that does not require any modifications of the integration scheme
Summary
Most simulations aim to model a real system with maximal fidelity, limited by practical considerations such as the finite nature of computational resources. One relatively commonplace example is discrete element method (DEM) simulations of frictionless particles. These serve as a valuable limiting case for real particle systems which can vary significantly in interparticle friction but are never completely frictionless.
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