Numerical simulation of particle consolidation under compression and shear based on the Discrete Element method

• We propose a 3D DEM model to simulate particle consolidation. • We investigate the effects of shear-compression ratios, cohesion force strengths and interparticle adhesion models. • Different agglomeration patterns are found, namely ‘shear-dominated’, ‘plateau’ and ‘compression-dominated’. This study introduces a three-dimensional (3D) Discrete Element Method (DEM) model designed to simulate particle consolidation under simultaneous compression and shear forces. The model is validated against experimental data for pure compression scenarios. Simulations involving simultaneous compression and shear are conducted to understand the impact of varying shear-to-compression ratios on particle consolidation. High shear-to-compression ratios lead to denser particle clusters, showing that shear promotes increased solid volume fractions. Additionally, the study explores the influence of different particle–particle interaction models, specifically the Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov (DMT) and Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) models. The results indicate that the DMT model generally leads to denser, more compact aggregates, whereas the JKR model tends to produce aggregates with a more elongated structure. Different agglomeration patterns were also found, which were classified as ‘shear-dominated’, ‘plateau’ and ‘compression-dominated’.