Memory in three-dimensional cyclically driven granular material

Intruder clustering in three-dimensional granular beds.

We present results of computer simulations for neutrally buoyant intruders in a vertically vibrated three-dimensional granular bed of smaller host particles. Under sinusoidal excitation, pairs of intruders interact over a distance of several intruder diameters; a group of intruders forms a cluster. The strength of the interaction grows as the number of intruders is increased. We show that the t...

Three-dimensional shear in granular flow.

The evolution of granular shear flow is investigated as a function of height in a split-bottom Couette cell. Using particle tracking, magnetic-resonance imaging, and large-scale simulations, we find a transition in the nature of the shear as a characteristic height H* is exceeded. Below H* there is a central stationary core; above H* we observe the onset of additional axial shear associated wit...

Convection in three-dimensional vibrofluidized granular beds

Homogenization of granular material modeled by a three-dimensional Discrete Element Method

A homogenization strategy for granular materials is presented and applied to a three-dimensional Discrete Element Method (DEM), that uses superellipsoids as particles. Macroscopic quantities are derived from the microscopic quantities resulting from a DEM simulation by averaging over representative volume elements (RVEs). The implementation of a RVE is described in detail regarding the definiti...

Three-dimensional Modelling of Industrial Granular Flows

The Discrete Element Method (DEM) is attracting increasing interest for the simulation of industrial granular flows. While the majority of previous DEM modelling has considered two-dimensional flows, we present here a series of three-dimensional simulations for a number of important industrial applications. The charge motion in a 5 m diameter ball mill and in a Hicom nutating mill, discharge fr...