FEM analysis on multibody interaction process in three body friction geometry with rough surface

Abstract

A mathematical model that uses the explicit finite element method (FEM) is proposed to study the shear behaviour due to the uncertainty of the multibody contact of a granular third body in a wedge shaped gap. Asperities, whose sizes approach granular media scale, are constructed at the lower boundary surface. The results proved that explicit FEM can capture the granular media shear behaviour and the stress distribution before and after collision, as well as the granule deformation. Collisions, stick–slip, rolling, and squeezing among multibody granules are the dominant behaviours in the friction interface. In particular, strong force chains, which transmit a relatively large force through multibody contact, are discovered. Furthermore, variations in the von Mises stress, friction force, uplift force, equivalent plastic strain, and energy loss are mainly related to the multibody contact state, affected by the break and reconstruction of force chains. In addition, the effects of friction coefficient and material hardness are discussed.

Keywords:

• Granule
• Dynamic modelling
• Contact mechanics
• Stress analysis
• Load carrying capacity

The authors wish to thank the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 51005067 and Grant No. 51175136.