Computational Granular Mechanics and Its Engineering Applications

This book systematically introduces readers to computational granular mechanics and its relative engineering applications. Part I describes the fundamentals, such as the generation of irregular particle shapes, contact models, macro-micro theory, DEM-FEM coupling, and solid-fluid coupling of granular materials. It also discusses the theory behind various numerical methods developed in recent years. Further, it provides the GPU-based parallel algorithm to guide the programming of DEM and examines commercial and open-source codes and software for the analysis of granular materials. Part II focuses on engineering applications, including the latest advances in sea-ice engineering, railway ballast dynamics, and lunar landers. It also presents a rational method of parameter calibration and thorough analyses of DEM simulations, which illustrate the capabilities of DEM. The computational mechanics method for granular materials can be applied widely in various engineering fields, such as rock and soil mechanics, ocean engineering and chemical process engineering.

Introduction.- Generation of Irregular Shaped Particle Elements.- Micro Contact Model of Granular Materials.- Macro-micro Analysis of Granular Materials.- DEM-FEM Coupling Analysis of Granular Materials.- Fluid-Solid Coupling Analysis of Granular Materials.- High Performance Algorithm, Computing and Analysis Software of DEM Based on GPU Parallel Technology.- DEM Analysis for Ice Loads on Ship and Offshore Structure.- DEM Analysis for Characteristics of Railway Ballast Bed.- DEM Analysis of Vibration Reduction and Buffering Capacity of Granular Material.

Dr. Shunying Ji is a Professor at the Department of Engineering Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology. His work mainly focuses on computational granular mechanics and its engineering applications. He is a member of the polar technology committee of the International Ship and Offshore Structures Congress, academic committee of the Ice Science Conference at IAHR, and subcommittee on granular materials of EMI at ASCE. He presides over and participates in several projects funded by NSFC and National Key R&D Program of China. He has published more than 150 journal papers in the above fields. In recent years, he has worked on the discrete element method (DEM) and its applications in cold-region offshore engineering, and the development of GPU-based DEM software.