Discrete Models for Particle Packings

Abstract

AbstractDiscrete computational models for the viscosities, sintering rates, and transport properties of sintering particle packings are presented. The packing is represented by a set of nodes (the particle centroids) connected by links (inter-particle contacts). The models for the mechanical behavior enforce equilibrium for each particle which leads to a set of simultaneous equations for the particle motion. Electrical or thermal transport through inter-particle contacts is modelled by imposing zero net flux at a node which also leads to a set of simultaneous equations for the value of potential at each particle center. The model is used to simulate the compaction of spheres to generate a threedimensional random packing. Statistical properties of the computed packing such as packing fraction, percolation threshold, and coordination number are compared with those of an experimental random packing. Results are also presented for the effective conductivity of mixtures of particles with very different conductivities.