Computer Simulation of Volume Shrinkage after Mixing Container Media Components

Abstract

A FORTRAN computer program was developed to simulate packing of spherical particles via a Monte Carlo procedure. Shrinkage in volume upon mixing different particle sizes was studied and simulated results were compared with experimental data. Maximum experimental shrinkage was obtained when the proportion of coarse particles of pine bark and sand mixtures ranged from 50% to 70% of the volume. Experimental shrinkage of a mixture of coarse and fine sand was closely reproduced by means of simulation. Particle size distribution appears to be the most important factor in relation to shrinkage and also in the establishment of relationships between the simulated and the experimental system.