On the use of the uniaxial shear test for DEM calibration

Abstract

Discrete Element Modelling (DEM) is a widely used and useful tool in the materials handling field. It is commonly used in the design of transfer chutes, bins, hoppers and feeders. However, there is still uncertainty in the translation of material characteristics that are measured experimentally in the laboratory to DEM parameters. There is a vast array of literature on this topic, with most of this work focusing on physical tests in the laboratory such as the angle of repose test, shear tests, compression tests and sliding friction tests. This paper investigates the use of a uniaxial shear test, conducted on a large scale with gravity switched off, for the development of flow functions to allow ease of comparison to experimental tests. A linear cohesion contact model was used in the simulations presented in this study.