PURPOSES: In this paper, the applicability of DEM to a coarse graining method was evaluated by simulating a series of minicone tests for cement pasteMETHODS: First, the fundamental physical quantities that are used in a static liquid bridge model were presented with three basic quantities based on the similarity principle and coarse graining method. Then, the scale factors and surface tensions for six different sizes of particles were determined using the relationship between the physical quantities and the basic quantities. Finally, the determined surface tensions and radii were utilized to simulate the fluidal behavior of cement paste under a minicone test condition, and the final shape of the cement paste with reference DEM particle radii was compared with the final shape of the others.RESULTS : The simulations with adjusted surface tensions for five different radii of particles and surface tension showed acceptable agreement with the simulation with regard to the reference size of the particle, although disagreement increases as the sizes of the particle radii increase. It seems reasonable to increase the particle radii by at least 0.196 cm considering the computational time reduction of 162 min.CONCLUSIONS: The coarse graining method based on the similarity principle is applicable for simulating the behavior of fluidal materials when the behavior of the materials can be described by a static liquid bridge model. However, the maximum particle radius should be suggested by considering not only the scale factor but also the relationship of the particle size and number with the radius of the curve of the boundary geometry.

• 윤태영(정회원·한국건설기술연구원 수석연구원·교신저자) | Taeyoung Yun