Discrete element simulations of flexible ribbon-like particles

A flexible ribbon-like particle model is developed based on the Discrete Element Method (DEM) for numerical modelling of biomass materials and many other flexible materials encountered in industries. In the model, a thin, irregular-shaped particle is discretized into triangular facet elements that can deform subject to internal and external forces. A library of particle templates of various shapes is established for numerical generation of a collection of particles with a statistical distribution of particle shapes in the simulations. The developed particle model is adopted to simulate uniaxial compression of biomass materials. With the calibrated model parameters, simulation results of various biomass materials and their mixtures are in good agreement with experimental data. For a better understanding of packing behavior of the biomass materials, DEM studies are performed to reveal the effects of initial particle configuration, particle shape distribution, and particle size distribution on macroscopic and micro-structural properties.

Automated summary

A flexible ribbon-like particle model based on the Discrete Element Method (DEM) is developed for numerical modeling of biomass materials and other flexible materials. The model accurately simulates the uniaxial compression of biomass materials and investigates the effects of initial particle configuration, particle shape distribution, and particle size distribution on macroscopic and micro-structural properties.