Discussion: 3D assessment of fracture of sand particles using discrete element method Available to Purchase

The article by Cil & Alshibli gives each agglomerate a single bond strength, which is taken from a normal distribution of mean 475 MPa and standard deviation 150 MPa (Cil & Alshibli, 2012). This gives a coefficient of variation of 0·32.

The authors stated that ‘particle size and packing density of spherical sub-particles have minor effects on the behaviour of the agglomerate’ but have not quantified this, nor have they quantified the effect of the orientation of the agglomerate on the strength of the agglomerate for a single bond strength. If there is no effect, then one would...