Abstract
Computer simulations of granular materials are often based on the Distinct Element Method (DEM) where each grain is considered individually. Since large quantities of grains are required to perform realistic experiments, high performance computing is mandatory. This paper presents the basis of the DEM, a sequential algorithm for spherical grains in 3D and the adaptations to obtain a parallel version of that algorithm. Visualization is also discussed, as the drawing and animation of large sets of grains require special techniques and state-of-the-art graphics hardware. Finally, some applications are presented.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
P.W. Cleary and M.L. Sawley. Three-dimensional modelling of industrial granular flows. In Second International Conference on CFD in the Minerals and Process Industries. CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia, 1999.
J.-A. Ferrez, L. Pournin, and Th.M. Liebling. Distinct element computer simulations for optimal packings of 3d spheres. Final Report, Simboules project, second year, 2000.
G.C. Barker. Computer simulations of granular materials. In A. Mehta, editor, Granular Matter: An interdisciplinary approach. Springer-Verlag, 1994.
J.-A. Ferrez, D. Müller, and Th.M. Liebling. Dynamic triangulations for granular media simulations. In K.R. Mecke and D. Stoyan, editors, Statistical Physics and Spatial Statistics, Lecture Notes in Physics. Springer, 2000.
F. Aurenhammer. Power diagrams: properties, algorithms and applications. SIAM J. Comput., 16(1):78–96, 1987.
L.J. Guibas and L. Zhang. Euclidean proximity and power diagrams. In Proc. 10th Canadian Conference on Computational Geometry, 1998. http://graphics.stanford.EDU/~lizhang/interests.html.
J.-D. Boissonnat and M. Yvinec. Géométrie Algorithmique. Ediscience, 1995. Published in english as Algorithmic Geometry, Cambridge University Press, 1998.
H. Edelsbrunner and N.R. Shah. Incremental topological flipping works for regular triangulations. Algorithmica, 15:223–241, 1996.
J.-A. Ferrez and Th.M. Liebling. Dynamic triangulations for efficient collision detection among spheres with applications in granular media simulations. Submitted to Phil. Mag. B, 2001.
P.A. Cundall and O.D.L. Strack. A discrete numerical model for granular assemblies. Géotechnique, 29(1), 1979.
L. Pournin, Th.M. Liebling, and A. Mocellin. A new molecular dynamics force model for better control of energy dissipation in dem simulations of dense granular media. in preparation, 2001.
J.-A. Ferrez, K. Fukuda, and Th.M. Liebling. Parallel computation of the diameter of a graph. In J. Schaeffer, editor, High Performance Computing Systems and Applications, pages 283–296. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1998.
D. Müller. Techniques informatiques efficaces pour la simulation de mileux granulaires par des méthodes d’ éléments distincts. Thèse No 1545, EPFL, 1996.
J.-A. Ferrez, D. Müller, and Th.M. Liebling. Parallel implementation of a distinct element method for granular media simulation on the Cray T3D. EPFL Supercomputing Review, 8, 1996. Online at http://sawww.epfl.ch/SIC/SA/publications/SCR96/scr8-page4.html.
J.-A. Ferrez and Th.M. Liebling. Using dynamic triangulations in distinct element simulations. In M. Deville and R. Owens, editors, Proceedings of the 16th IMACS World Congress, August 2000.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Ferrez, JA., Liebling, T.M. (2001). Parallel DEM Simulations of Granular Materials. In: Hertzberger, B., Hoekstra, A., Williams, R. (eds) High-Performance Computing and Networking. HPCN-Europe 2001. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2110. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48228-8_22
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48228-8_22
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-42293-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48228-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive