Discrete simulation and micromechanical analysis of two-dimensional saturated granular media

In this study, a novel approach to incorporate the pore water pressure in the discrete element method (DEM) to comprehensively model saturated granular media was developed. A numerical model was constructed based on the DEM by implanting additional routines in the basic DEM code; pore water pressure calculations were used with a two-dimensional (2D) model to simulate the undrained behavior of saturated granular media. This model coupled the interaction of solid particles and the pore fluid in saturated granular media. Finally, several 2D undrained shear tests were simulated. The test results showed that the model could predict the response of the saturated granular soil to shear loading. The effect of initial compaction was investigated. Biaxial tests on dense and loose specimens were conducted, and the effect of the initial density on the change in shear strength and the volume change of the system was investigated. The overall behavior of loose and dense specimens was phenomenologically similar to the real granular material. Constant volume tests were simulated, and the results were compared to those from the coupled model. Induced anisotropy was micromechanically investigated by studying the contact force orientation. The change in anisotropy depended on the modeling scheme. However, the overall responses of the media obtained using the coupled and constant volume methods were similar.     

Two-fluid smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulation of submerged granular column collapse

In this paper, a two-fluid smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model, based on the mixture theory, is employed to investigate the complex interactions between the solid particles and the ambient water during the process of submerged granular column collapse. From the simulation, two regimes of the collapse, one being quick and the other being slow, are identified and the reasons of formation are analyzed. It is found that, a large internal friction angle of the granular phase, representing large drag force between solid particles, helps form the slow regime. Small hydraulic conductivity, representing large inter-phase drag force, also retards the collapse dramatically. Good agreements between our numerical results and other researchers’ numerical and experimental results are observed, which demonstrates the capability of the proposed two-fluid SPH approach in dealing with saturated water–soil mixture flows.     

DEM simulation of particle mixing in a sheared granular flow

Mixing behaviors of particles are simulated in a sheared granular flow using differently colored but otherwise identical glass spheres, with five different bottom wall velocities. By DEM simulation, the solid fractions, velocities, velocity fluctuations and granular temperatures are measured.The mixing layer thicknesses are compared with the calculations from a simple diffusion equation using the data of apparent self-diffusion coefficients obtained from the current simulation measurements. The calculations and simulation results showed good agreements, demonstrating that the mixing process of granular materials occurred through the diffusion mechanism.     

DEM simulation of particle mixing in a sheared granular flow

Mixing behaviors of particles are simulated in a sheared granular flow using differently colored but otherwise identical glass spheres, with five different bottom wall velocities. By DEM simulation, the solid fractions, velocities, velocity fluctuations and granular temperatures are measured. The mixing layer thicknesses are compared with the calculations from a simple diffusion equation using the data of apparent self-diffusion coefficients obtained from the current simulation measurements. The calculations and simulation results showed good agreements, demonstrating that the mixing process of granular materials occurred through the diffusion mechanism.     

Application of the finite volume method in the simulation of saturated flows of binary Mixtures with particular emphasis on Non-Darcy motions through porous media

Non-Darcy flows in saturated porous media with significative boundary and inertia effects are modelled applying the Continuum Theory of Mixtures approach and simulated by discretization of the governing equations by the finite volume method.

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Sommario Flussi di tipo ‘Non-Darcy’ in mezzi porosi saturi, con significativi effetti di bordo ed inerziali, vengono modellati applicando l'approccio della Teoria delle Miscele per il Continuo e simulati mediante discretizzazione delle equazioni governanti con il metodo del volume finito.

     

Numerical modeling of fluid-particle interaction in granular media

Fluid-particle interaction underpins important behavior of granular media. Particle-scale simulation may help to provide key microscopic information governing the interaction and offer better understanding of granular media as a whole. This paper presents a coupled computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM) approach for this purpose. The granular particle system is modeled by DEM, while the fluid flow is simulated by solving the locally averaged Navier–Stokes equation with CFD. The coupling is considered by exchanging such interaction forces as drag force and buoyancy force between the DEM and CFD. The approach is benchmarked by two classic geomechanics problems for which analytical solutions are available, and is further applied to the prediction of sand heap formation in water through hopper flow. It is demonstrated that the key characteristic of granular materials interacting with pore water can be successfully captured by the proposed method.     

Response of saturated porous media subjected to local thermal loading on the surface of semi-infinite space

Heat source function method is adopted in the present paper to derive elementary solutions of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical consolidation for saturated porous media under conjunct actions of instantaneous point heat source, instantaneous point fluid source and constant volume force. By using the so-called fictitious heat source method and images method, the solutions of a semi-infinite saturated porous medium subjected to a local heat source with time-varied intensity on its free surface are developed from elementary solutions. The numerical integral methods for calculating the unsteady temperature, pore pressure and displacement fields are given. The thermomechanical response are analyzed for the case of a circular planar heat source. Besides, the thermal consolidation characteristics of a saturated porous medium subjected to a harmonic thermal loading are also given, and the fluctuation processes of the field variables located below the center of heat source are analyzed. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50578008) The English text was polished byYunming Chen.     

Discrete element method-based studies on dynamic interactions of a lugged wheel with granular media

Terramechanics plays an important role in determining the design and control of autonomous robots and other vehicles that move on granular surfaces. Traction capabilities, slippage, and sinkage of a robot are governed by the interaction of a robot’s appendage with the operating terrain. It is important to understand how the terrain flows under this appendage during such an interaction. In this work, dynamics of soil performance and locomotion performance of a lugged wheel travelling on soft soil are numerically investigated. Studies are conducted with a two-dimensional model by using the discrete element method to analyze the interactions between a lugged wheel and the soil. The soil performance is studied by examining the force distribution and evolution of force networks during the course of the wheel travel. For two different control modes, namely, slip-based wheel control and angular velocity-based wheel control, the performance parameters such as, sinkage, traction, traction efficiency, and power consumption of the wheel are compared for various wheel configurations. The findings of this work are expected to be useful for optimal design and control of the lugged wheel travelling on deformable surfaces.     

砌体结构破坏倒塌过程的离散单元模拟

基于传统颗粒离散单元模型（DEM）,开发了一种绑定式离散单元模型（BTDEM）用于砌体结构崩塌机制的研究,并对一个典型砌体结构的破坏倒塌过程进行数值模拟。结果证实BTDEM方法能够详细地模拟出砌体建筑结构的崩塌过程,同时还可以模拟出砌块的破碎,是一种普适性较强的模拟砌体结构建筑的高效数值方法。BTDEM方法具有计算速度...     

颗粒材料柱体崩塌物质点法数值模拟

为了研究颗粒材料崩塌的运动规律和堆积特性,采用物质点法对颗粒材料柱体崩塌试验进行数值模拟,并将模拟结果与试验结果进行对比验证。对颗粒材料柱体崩塌过程中颗粒的流动特性(滑动距离、堆积高度、速度、能量和动能通量的演化)进行了分析。进一步探究了颗粒材料柱体高宽比对颗粒流动能通量的影响,从而反应颗粒材料柱体崩塌过程中颗粒流的破坏能力。颗粒材料柱体高宽比越大,颗粒材料柱体外侧边缘颗粒速度越大,其溃散的程度更加强烈,并且滑动距离和动能均在增大。对于动能通量的分布,水平方向越靠近初始颗粒材料柱体,动能通量越大。     

Numerical simulation of three-dimensional saturated flow in randomly heterogeneous porous media

This paper presents a numerical method for simulating flow fields in a stochastic porous medium that satisfies locally the Darcy equation, and has each of its hydraulic parameters represented as one realization of a three-dimensional random field. These are generated by using the Turning Bands method. Our ultimate objective is to obtain statistically meaningful solutions in order to check and extend a series of approximate analytical results previously obtained by a spectral perturbation method (L. W. Gelhar and co-workers). We investigate the computational aspects of the problem in relation with stochastic concepts. The difficulty of the numerical problem arises from the random nature of the hydraulic conductivities, which implies that a very large discretized algebraic system must be solved. Indeed, a preliminary evaluation with the aid of scale analysis suggests that, in order to solve meaningful flow problems, the total number of nodes must be of the order of 10⁶. This is due to the requirement that x _i gl _i L _i , where x _i is the mesh size, _i is a typical correlation scale of the inputs, and L _i is the size of the flow domain (i = 1, 2, 3). The optimum strategy for the solution of such a problem is discussed in relation with supercomputer capabilities. Briefly, the proposed discretization method is the seven-point finite differences scheme, and the proposed solution method is iterative, based on prior approximate factorization of the large coefficient matrix. Preliminary results obtained with grids on the order of one hundred thousand nodes are discussed for the case of steady saturated flow with highly variable, random conductivities.     

筒仓泄料过程中阻塞现象的数值模拟

基于颗粒材料离散颗粒模型及颗粒流方案,通过数值试验研究了筒仓泄料过程中影响颗粒流发生阻塞的若干因素,给出了阻塞概率随筒仓底部开口半径及倾角、颗粒间摩擦系数及颗粒粒径分布的关系曲线.基于颗粒簇的概念,进一步研究了颗粒形状的影响,并对颗粒材料阻塞时的力链分布特征进行简要分析.     

煤仓内煤散料流动状态与力学行为影响因素

针对煤仓内煤散料流动问题及其力学行为,采用三维颗粒流模拟程序PFC3D建立了某型号煤仓与某种煤散料的离散元模型,简述了其力学模型与求解步骤,模拟分析了煤仓内煤散料卸料流动状态。通过分析水平向侧压力、颗粒速度场和接触力场,重点讨论了煤仓下部锥体内壁面摩擦系数、锥仓倾角和卸料口径等对煤散料颗粒流动状态和力学行为的影响。结果显示,深仓卸料流动为整体流动与中心流动混合状态,煤仓内壁摩擦系数、锥体倾角和卸料孔开口半径均对煤散料流动和水平侧压力有较大影响。     

Numerical simulation and homogenization of two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media

A mathematically rigorous method of homogenization is presented and used to analyze the equivalent behavior of transient flow of two incompressible fluids through heterogeneous media. Asymptotic expansions and H-convergence lead to the definition of a global or effective model of an equivalent homogeneous reservoir. Numerical computations to obtain the homogenized coefficients of the entire reservoir have been carried out via a finite element method. Numerical experiments involving the simulation of incompressible two-phase flow have been performed for each heterogeneous medium and for the homogenized medium as well as for other averaging methods. The results of the simulations are compared in terms of the transient saturation contours, production curves, and pressure distributions. Results obtained from the simulations with the homogenization method presented show good agreement with the heterogeneous simulations.     

双相介质P波波动方程小波域多尺度模拟

相比于单相介质理论而言,双相介质理论更接近实际地层的真实情况,因此在地球物理勘探、地震工程和岩土动力学等领域有着广泛的应用。传统的波动方程数值解法由于本身固有的不足不利于求解诸如双相介质波动方程等复杂的非线性和不规则性问题;而小波方法则由于自身良好的特性可以用来构建解决此类问题的自适应性算法。本文详细推导了双相介质P波波动方程的有限差分矩阵表示形式,利用小波变换将其转移到小波域,设置阈值形成更为稀疏的迭代矩阵以构建自适应算法,从而达到减少计算量,增加地震波场数值模拟灵活性和准确性的目的。地球物理勘探的数值模拟实例验证了方法的有效性。     

非均质饱和多孔介质弹塑性动力分析的广义耦合扩展多尺度有限元法

针对非均质饱和多孔介质弹塑性动力问题分析提出了一种广义耦合扩展多尺度有限元方法。首先,提出了基于细尺度等效刚度阵的粗尺度单元数值基函数构造方法,并给出了构造数值基函数的一般公式,所构造的耦合数值基函数有效考虑了动力相关效应与固液之间的耦合效应。其次,针对弹塑性非线性问题迭代求解,给出了基于摄动方法的位移与孔隙压强降尺度计算修正方案。最后,针对材料的强非均质特征,利用多节点粗单元技术来提高多尺度有限元方法的计算精度。通过与基于精细网格的传统有限元分析结果对比,验证了本文所提出方法的有效性与高效性。     

A wavelet finite-difference method for numerical simulation of wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous media

In this paper, we consider numerical simulation of wave propagation in fluidsaturated porous media. A wavelet finite-difference method is proposed to solve the 2-D elastic wave equation. The algorithm combines flexibility and computational efficiency of wavelet multi-resolution method with easy implementation of the finite-difference method. The orthogonal wavelet basis provides a natural framework, which adapt spatial grids to local wavefield properties. Numerical results show usefulness of the approach as an accurate and stable tool for simulation of wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous media.     

Interstitial fluid flow: simulation of mechanical environment of cells in the interosseous membrane

In vitro experiments have shown that subtle fluid flow environment plays a significant role in living biological tissues,while there is no in vivo practical dynamical measurement of the interstitial fluid flow velocity.On the basis of a new finding that capillaries and collagen fibrils in the interosseous membrane form a parallel array,we set up a porous media model simulating the flow field with FLUENT software,studied the shear stress on interstitial cells’ surface due to the interstitial fluid flow,and analyzed the effect of flow on protein space distribution around the cells.The numerical simulation results show that the parallel nature of capillaries could lead to directional interstitial fluid flow in the direction of capillaries.Interstitial fluid flow would induce shear stress on the membrane of interstitial cells,up to 30 Pa or so,which reaches or exceeds the threshold values of cells’ biological response observed in vitro.Interstitial fluid flow would induce nonuniform spacial distribution of secretion protein of mast cells.Shear tress on cells could be affected by capillary parameters such as the distance between the adjacent capillaries,blood pressure and the permeability coefficient of capillary’s wall.The interstitial pressure and the interstitial porosity could also affect the shear stress on cells.In conclusion,numerical simulation provides an effective way for in vivo dynamic interstitial velocity research,helps to set up the vivid subtle interstitial flow environment of cells,and is beneficial to understanding the physiological functions of interstitial fluid flow.     

3D simulation of radionuclide transport in porous media

We present an efficient and easily implementable finite volume method simulating radionuclide transport through highly heterogeneous grounds in three space dimensions. The numerical concentration of the transported chemicals are proved to remain nonnegative and stable. Then, we run a realistic test case in which some radioactive iodine I¹²⁹ particles are released from a leak in an underground nuclear waste disposal site. The question of whether the radionuclide invades the underground and reach the ground surface is investigated. Because of the 3D nature of the problem, a particular emphasis is made on the control of CPU time. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.