Discrete-element modelling of cone penetration testing (CPT) of granular materials in a calibration chamber has been performed. It was established that simulating the entire chamber with a realistic particle size requires too many particles. Simulating a segment of the chamber partly solves the problem, but the number of particle contacts at the cone tip is unrealistically small. A particle refinement method was therefore developed whereby particles nearer the cone tip were smaller than those further away. This was found to give a pronounced effect on the ability to model CPT in soils using the discrete-element method.
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AbstractThis paper uses the discrete element method (DEM) in three dimensions to simulate cone penetration testing (CPT) of granular materials in a calibration chamber. Several researchers have used different numerical techniques such as strain path methods and finite element methods to study CPT problems. The DEM is a useful alternative tool for studying cone penetration problems because of its ability to provide micro mechanical insight into the behaviour of granular materials and cone penetration resistance. A 30° chamber segment and a particle refinement method were used for the simulations. Giving constant mass to each particle in the sample was found to reduce computational time significantly, without significantly affecting tip resistance. The effects of initial sample conditions and particle friction coefficient on tip resistance are investigated and found to have an important effect on the tip resistance. Biaxial test simulations using DEM are conducted to obtain the basic granular material properties for obtaining CPT analytical solutions based on continuum mechanics. Macro properties of the samples for different input micro parameters are presented and used to obtain the analytical CPT results. Comparison between the numerical simulations and analytical solutions show good agreement.
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