| Issue |
EPJ Web Conf.
Volume 340, 2025
Powders & Grains 2025 – 10th International Conference on Micromechanics on Granular Media
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 09016 | |
| Number of page(s) | 4 | |
| Section | Particle-Based Numerical Methods | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202534009016 | |
| Published online | 01 December 2025 | |
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202534009016
A FEM-DEM model for immersed granular flows: From unresolved to semi-resolved scales
1 Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
2 Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
3 Politecnico di Milano, Italy
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Published online: 1 December 2025
Abstract
This work presents a coupling between the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate immersed granular flows, transitioning from an unresolved to a semi-resolved representation. This refers to fluid discretisations ranging from a scale much larger than the grain size to one comparable to the grain size. The fluid phase is modelled using the Volume-Averaged Navier-Stokes (VANS) equations, which are solved with the FEM, while the granular phase is represented by the DEM with Non-Smooth Contact Dynamics (NSCD). An overlap-wise spatial coupling is proposed to bridge the gap between unresolved and semi-resolved scales. The method is validated by numerically reproducing experimental work on the fluidisation of a sand layer. Accuracy and stability are assessed by varying the mesh size down to half the grain diameter.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2025
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