3D Molecular dynamics simulations using spheropolytopes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a straightforward and efficient method for simulating 3D complex-shaped bodies using Minkowski operators, demonstrating its effectiveness in modeling granular flow and jamming phenomena.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel, easy-to-implement 3D simulation approach for complex-shaped particles based on Minkowski operators, ensuring physical accuracy and efficiency.

Findings

Non-convex particle shapes significantly influence granular flow jamming

The method accurately conserves physical laws during simulations

Efficiently models complex 3D particle interactions

Abstract

We present a simple and efficient method to simulate three-dimensional, complex-shaped, interacting bodies. The particle shape is represented by Minkowski operators. A time-continuous interaction between these bodies is derived using simple concepts of computational geometry. The model (particles + interactions) is efficient, accurate and easy to implement, and it complies with the conservation laws of physics. 3D simulations of hopper flow shows that the non-convexity of the particles strongly effects the jamming on granular flow.