Title: Bonded-Cell method for particle crushing in 3D

Author (Talk): David Cantor, Universite de Montpellier

Abstract:

We present a three-dimensional Discrete Element approach for the simulation of particle crushing. In this model, particles are considered assemblies of polyhedral cells generated via a 3D Voronoi meshing. The assemblies are held together using a cohesive contact law that accounts for independent normal and tangential contact strengths. Once contact forces reach either the normal or tangential local strength, the local cohesion is lost. Further interactions of broken contacts are governed by a Coulomb friction coefficient. With this model, complex shapes of the fragments are well reproduced while the total volume of the assembly is effectively conserved. Appling this model to the compression of individual particles between platens, we were able to analyze the mechanical response as the number of cells, their shape, and intercell strength were varied. As results, we show that, in terms of particle strength, two different regimes exist as function of the normal-tangential cohesion ratio. These regimes can be well described by power-laws, allowing us to predict the particle global strength.