Comparison of bulk properties of wet granular materials using different capillary force approximations

TL;DR

This study uses Discrete Element Method simulations to compare how different capillary force approximations affect the bulk properties of wet granular materials, revealing a linear relationship between surface tension and bulk cohesion.

Contribution

It introduces and compares three capillary force approximations in DEM simulations of wet granular matter, highlighting their effects on bulk cohesion and friction.

Findings

Bulk cohesion increases linearly with surface tension across all approximations.

Macroscopic friction coefficient shows weak dependence on surface tension.

Different capillary force models produce consistent trends in bulk properties.

Abstract

We perform Discrete Element Method simulations of wet granular matter in a split-bottom shear cell. To calculate the capillary forces from the liquid bridges between the grains, we used three different approximations. The simulations of the shear cell showed a linear increase in bulk cohesion with the surface tension of the liquid, consistently for all approximations. However, the macroscopic friction coefficient shows only a weak dependence on surface tension.