Modeling of Granular Media in Couette Flow and Silo Discharge by DEM

Abstract

In this work, the dynamics of dense-phase granular material is studied in laboratory scale problems using Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations. In principle, simple regimes such as Couette flow regimes (i.e. annular and split-base flow) are studied in order to validate the performance of the computational model against experimental results and to determine its efficiency in terms of computational cost. Also, the potential of the model to represent non-local rheological behaviours not captured by traditional çontinuum"type models (e.g. Navier-Stokes with mu(I) model) is confirmed. Finally, the simulation of a 2D silo is addressed, where all the above features are studied together. The results of this work allow positioning the tool as an alternative to provide reference results, as well as experimental results, to adapt more scalable but less accurate models, such as çontinuous"models with non-local rheology.