Virtual Soil Tests for Determination of Particle Properties for Use in DEM Models from Measurable Bulk Properties

Abstract

<abstract> <bold><sc>Abstract.</sc></bold> Distinct element modeling (DEM) is a powerful technique for describing the soil-machine interaction process. The technique is well suited for dealing with large deformations and topology compared to techniques such as the finite element method (FEM). Unfortunately, selecting interparticle properties (normal and tangential spring constants at the contact point, interparticle cohesion and friction angle) that can adequately represent the soil-machine interaction process has been one of the major bottlenecks in the widespread application of DEM. In this article, we describe novel approaches to determine key DEM interparticle parameters for use in soil-machine interaction studies. A series of virtual triaxial tests was carried out to relate interparticle cohesion and friction angle values to Mohr-Coulomb parameters of bulk soil. A virtual uniaxial consolidation test was conducted to determine the normal spring constant at the contact point. The results indicate high coefficient of multiple determination (R²) values between 0.85 and 0.95 for a range of realistic soils, indicating potential utility of the proposed techniques.