Discrete element simulations of direct shear specimen scale effects

This paper presents a study of the micromechanics of granular materials as affected by the direct shear test scale using the discrete element method (DEM). Parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effects of specimen length and height scales (in relation to the particle size) on the bulk material shear strength and shear banding behaviour in the direct shear test. A mesh-free strain calculation method previously developed by the...