Micromechanical Modeling of Granular Materials Using Three Dimensional Discrete Element Modeling

16). Abstract. In this paper numerical simulation results of isotropic compression and triaxial shear tests on 3-dimensional polydisperse assembly of spheres are reported. The numerical simulations are carried out using discrete element method (DEM). DEM models the granular materials as discrete particles interacting through contact forces. The ntacroscopic behavior of the granular assembly is explained from the micromechanical characteristics of the assemblage such as average coordination number, average contact forces and the orientation of contacts and their distribution.