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Granular element method (GEM): linking inter-particle forces with macroscopic loading

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Abstract

We present a new method capable of inferring, for the first time, inter-particle contact forces in irregularly-shaped natural granular materials (e.g., sands), using basic Newtonian mechanics and balance of linear momentum at the particle level. The method furnishes a relationship between inter-particle forces and corresponding average particle stresses, which can be inferred, for instance, from measurements of average particle strains emanating from advanced experimental techniques (e.g., 3D X-ray diffraction). Inter-particle forces are the missing link in understanding how forces are transmitted in complex granular structures and the key to developing physics-based constitutive models. We present two numerical examples to verify the method and showcase its promise.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    José E. Andrade & Carlos F. Avila

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  1. José E. Andrade
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  2. Carlos F. Avila
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Correspondence to José E. Andrade.

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Andrade, J.E., Avila, C.F. Granular element method (GEM): linking inter-particle forces with macroscopic loading. Granular Matter 14, 51–61 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-011-0298-8

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