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A smooth contact algorithm for the combined finite discrete element method

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Abstract

From its inception, the combined finite discrete element method has used a distributed potential contact force algorithm to resolve interaction between finite elements. The contact interaction algorithm relies on evaluation of the contact force potential field. The problem with existing algorithms is that the potential field introduces artificial numerical non-smoothness in the contact force. This work introduces a smooth potential field based on the finite element topology, and a generalized contact interaction law is constructed on top of the smooth potential field. A number of validation cases for the proposed algorithm, considering different shapes of discrete elements, are presented, and detailed aspects of the proposed contact interaction law are tested with numerical examples.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Los Alamos National Laboratory LDRD Program (#20140002DR, #20170109ER) for the financial support. We would also like to acknowledge BES project Fracture Formation and Permeability Evolution LANS contract/Grant #DE-AC52-06NA25396 FWP# LANL20171450. The authors would also like to thank the Institutional Computing program at Los Alamos National Laboratory for providing the needed resources to conduct this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    Zhou Lei, Esteban Rougier & Bryan Euser

  2. FGAG, University of Split, Split, Croatia

    Antonio Munjiza

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  1. Zhou Lei
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  2. Esteban Rougier
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  3. Bryan Euser
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  4. Antonio Munjiza
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Correspondence to Zhou Lei.

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Lei, Z., Rougier, E., Euser, B. et al. A smooth contact algorithm for the combined finite discrete element method. Comp. Part. Mech. 7, 807–821 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40571-020-00329-2

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