coarsegraining command

Note

This command is supported by Aspherix GPU.

Syntax

coarsegraining cg_factor(s) keyword value

cg_factor = coarse-graining factor to be applied (dimensionless), if more than one factor is defined, material type specific coarsegraining is used

General keywords:

Keywords

Description

model_check

available options: error, warn, off
default: error

Examples

coarsegraining 2.0
coarsegraining 4. 2.
coarsegraining 3 model_check warn

Description

Coarsegraining is a methodology to reduce the computational effort of a DEM calculation by scaling up the particle size by a coarse-graining factor (cg_factor). Thereby, the model size decreases by factor cg-factor^3.

However, changing particle size will change the physics of the model. On the particle scale, this change is obviously inevitable. However, in many cases model constants can be adapted so that on the bulk scale the change of the physics caused by the coarse-graining model is acceptable. See e.g. (Radl) and (Bierwisch) for details.

If more than one coarse-graining factor is entered, type-specific coarse- graining is activated. So every material type in the simulation may have a different coarse-graining factor. The coarse-graining factors must be stated in the order of the defined materials (see the materials command) with custom materials as last entries in the list.

Some of the models in Aspherix® support scaling of the model constants to counteract this change in physics on the bulk scale. Moreover, some commands (such as insertion commands or the neighbor command) re-scale some of their length scales. Using model_check = error will throw an error if a model/command does not yield consistent results with coarse-graining. Using model_check = warn will issue a warning if a model/command does not yield consistent results with coarse-graining. model_check = off will suppress all warnings and is only intended for long CFDEMcoupling simulations.

Model overview:

This table provides an overview of how different models behave when coarsegraining is used. Some models scale length scales, other models scale model parameters to make results more coarse-graining consistent. Models that are not mentioned here are not affected by using the coarsegraining command

create_atoms (legacy!)

not supported, Use create_particles instead

fix addforce

not supported / inconsistent

fix drag

not supported / inconsistent

enable_one_way_coupling

downscaling of A, Re; upscaling of dragforce

fix efield

not supported / inconsistent

mesh_module wear

Finnie wear model

inherently compatible

particle_template shape sphere

radius -> cg_factor*radius

particle_template shape multisphere

radius -> cg_factor*radius

particle_template shape convex

particle_size -> cg_factor*particle_size

particle_template shape concave

particle_size -> cg_factor*particle_size

particle_template shape superquadric

particle_size -> cg_factor*particle_size

fix spring

not supported / inconsistent

fix spring/rg

not supported / inconsistent

fix spring/self

not supported / inconsistent

fix viscous

not supported / inconsistent

neighbor_list

skin -> cg_factor*skin

particle_contact_model

any cohesion or rolling friction model

not supported / inconsistent

normal hertz tangential history

base model

inherently compatible

normal hooke tangential history

base model

inherently compatible

normal hooke

base model

inherently compatible

normal hertz/stiffness tangential history

kn -> cg_factor*kn, gamman -> gamman/cg_factor^2

normal hooke/stiffness tangential history

base model with damp_massflag=0

kn -> cg_factor*kn, gamman -> cg_factor^2*gamman

normal hooke/stiffness tangential history

base model with damp_massflag=1

kn -> cg_factor*kn, gamman -> gamman/cg_factor

normal hooke/stiffness

base model with damp_massflag=0

kn -> cg_factor*kn, gamman -> cg_factor^2*gamman

normal hooke/stiffness

base model with damp_massflag=1

kn -> cg_factor*kn, gamman -> gamman/cg_factor

set

diameter -> cg_factor*diameter

Warning

Even if a model does not support proper coarse graining, in many cases it will still be possible to calibrate the model constant manually to capture the bulk scale physics with a coarse-grained model.

Restrictions

General warning: Coarse graining is an approximative method and will never deliver exactly the same results than a fine-grained simulation.

One natural restriction is that the ratio of geometry length scale to particle length scale should be >> 1 when coarse graining is applied.

See description above the fact that not all Aspherix® models will deliver consistent results with coarse-graining ratios > 1.

The coarsegraining command needs to be at the beginning of an input-script. It needs to be defined before any fixes or the definition of a simulation box.