Particle failure in DEM models of crushable soil response

The Discrete Element Method (DEM) is progressively gaining acceptance as a modelling tool for engineering problems of direct geotechnical relevance. One area for which the method seems naturally well adapted is that of crushable soils. To simulate crushing in soils using DEM a number of different alternatives are available. When considering those alternatives, as in other areas of applied numerical modelling, there is always a need to balance computational expediency, accuracy of results and soundness of principle. This communication focuses on the encounter of those two last requirements, as exemplified in a series of simulation of one-dimensional compression of a silica sand to high pressures (up to 100MPa).A recently developed model for crushable soils is briefly outlined and the role of several parameters is illuminated by a parametric analysis. It is shown that using the same model for single-grain platen crush tests results in a different choice of optimal parameters than what will be inferred from simply matching the oedometric results. The apparent contradiction might be resolved by combining the particle crushing model with a more refined contact model.