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Discrete Element Modeling of Drop Tests

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Abstract

A discrete element code with impact model has been developed and calibrated to simulate the dynamic behavior of rock materials, with special regard to rock fragmentation upon impact during rock-fall analysis. The paper summarizes the discrete element code, the calibration algorithms developed to identify the model microparameters, and the impact model. Experimental work on drop tests is then used to validate the code on modeling impact fragmentation. It has been found that the developed discrete element code and impact model can reasonably simulate rock fragmentation in drop tests. The use of the discrete element code and impact model can provide good reference results in evaluating impact fragmentation in rock-fall analysis.

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Acknowledgments

This research was carried out when the first author was a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. The authors are grateful to Rio Tinto for sponsoring this research work under the project “Three-dimensional rock-fall analysis with impact fragmentation and fly-rock modeling”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shannon and Wilson Inc., Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA

    Yuannian Wang

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Fulvio Tonon

Authors
  1. Yuannian Wang
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  2. Fulvio Tonon
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fulvio Tonon.

Appendix

Appendix

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Table 1 Results of uniaxial compression tests with elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio measurements by means of strain gauges
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Wang, Y., Tonon, F. Discrete Element Modeling of Drop Tests. Rock Mech Rock Eng 45, 863–869 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0272-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0272-8

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