A FEM-DEM model for immersed granular flows
From unresolved to semi-resolved scales
Michel Henry (Université Catholique de Louvain)
Laura Valentina Cote Martinez (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
Cristina Jommi (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Politecnico di Milano)
Michael Hicks (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
Jonathan Lambrechts (Université Catholique de Louvain)
Vincent Legat (Université Catholique de Louvain)
Miguel Cabrera (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
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Abstract
This work presents a coupling between the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate immersed granular flows, transitioning from an unresolved to a semi-resolved representation. This refers to fluid discretisations ranging from a scale much larger than the grain size to one comparable to the grain size. The fluid phase is modelled using the Volume-Averaged Navier-Stokes (VANS) equations, which are solved with the FEM, while the granular phase is represented by the DEM with Non-Smooth Contact Dynamics (NSCD). An overlap-wise spatial coupling is proposed to bridge the gap between unresolved and semi-resolved scales. The method is validated by numerically reproducing experimental work on the fluidisation of a sand layer. Accuracy and stability are assessed by varying the mesh size down to half the grain diameter.
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