Contact resolution algorithm for an ellipsoid approximation for discrete element modeling

The efficiency of a discrete element implementation relies on several factors, including the particle representation, neighbor‐sorting algorithm, contact resolution, and force generation. The focus of this paper is on the four‐arc approximation for an ellipsoid – a geometrical representation useful in simulations of large numbers of smoothly shaped particles. A new contact resolution algorithm based on the four‐arc approximation is presented, which takes advantage of the properties of the geometry to provide favorable empirical convergence properties compared with the method proposed earlier. Special attention is given to the software implementation of the algorithm, and a discussion of the computational efficiency of the algorithm is provided.