A computational model for the simulation of dry granular materials

This work presents a computational model for the simulation of problems involving dry granular materials. The approach is based on the discrete element method (DEM), using phenomenological models to describe the various forces involved. It is intended to be simple, as well as clear and clean in the formalism, such that (i) a base framework may be established, from which future generalizations or particularizations to specific problems of granular systems may be conducted, and (ii) newcomers to the field may benefit and get started right away with their developments. Details of its solution method are provided and a few numerical examples are shown to illustrate the potentialities of the scheme. Simple, consistent computational models may be a useful tool for the study of dry granular materials and, in a broader sense, many other non-linear particle systems.