DEM analysis of granular crushing during simple shearing.

In this study, simple shear tests on breakable polydisperse granular materials were simulated using two-dimensional discrete element method (DEM). A new technique of generating polydisperse DEM samples with a smooth and continuous particle size distribution curve was proposed. A modified breakage criterion was introduced to reflect the contact force anisotropy of particles in the numerical sample. The simulation results showed that during the simple shearing, grain crushing in the sample mainly occurred in the contraction process and decreased gradually when the sample began to dilate. As the shearing proceeded to a larger strain, the grain crushing tended to a stable value. This grain crushing trend was in accordance with the evolution of the average normal contact forces of particles in the sample during shearing. The average normal contact forces of potential breakage particles increased in the contraction process and decreased in the dilatancy process. A decrease in the average normal contact forces of potential breakage particles resulted in the decrease in grain crushing during the later stage of shearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]