Comparison of different capillary bridge models for application in the discrete element method

• Published in: Granular matter Vol. 16; no. 6; pp. 911 - 920
• Main Authors: Gladkyy, Anton, Schwarze, Rüdiger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Beads; Bridges (structures); Capillarity; Comparative studies; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Computer simulation; Discrete element method; Engineering Fluid Dynamics; Engineering Thermodynamics; Foundations; Geoengineering; Granular materials; Heat and Mass Transfer; Hydraulics; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Materials Science; Mathematical models; Moisture content; Original Paper; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Shear viscosity; Soft and Granular Matter; Capillary bridge models; Liquid bridges; Granular material; DEM
• ISSN: 1434-5021; 1434-7636
• DOI: 10.1007/s10035-014-0527-z

Weakly wetted granular material is the subject of many studies. Several formulations were proposed to calculate the capillary forces between wet particles. In this paper some of such models have been implemented in a DEM-framework, and simulation results were compared to experimental measurements. Also, the influence of capillary model type on macro parameters like local shear viscosity and cohesive parameters of sheared material have been investigated through the simulation of spherical beads using a DEM-model of a split-bottom shear-cell. It was concluded that the water content, simulated with the help of capillary bridge models, changes the macro-properties of the simulated granular material. Different capillary bridge models do not influence the macroscopic results visibly.