Discrete modelling of the packing of ellipsoidal particles

Abstract

Particle shape affects the packing characteristics significantly. Such a topic has been investigated extensively in the literature by physical experiments or mathematical modelling. In this paper, we give a summary of packing of ellipsoidal particles using discrete element method. As ellipsoidal particles can represent a large number of shapes, e.g. from platy to elongated, the relationships between packing properties (such as packing fraction, coordination number and radial distribution function) and aspect ratios are established. Flow and force structures are also presented to illustrate how the shape affects those microscopic properties for further fundamental understanding. The results demonstrate that discrete element method provides a useful method to investigate the packing dynamics of ellipsoidal particles. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.