International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

Granular materials are a collection of distinct macroscopic particles. Consequently soils, which are used for agricultural purposes are a part of them. In comparison with other simulation models, creating a numerical simulation with the discrete element method (DEM) for different soils prove to be difficult. The reason for this is that there are an enormous number of particles. Therefore it is not possible to reproduce every one of them. On this account, parcels are used in the numerical simulation. These are larger and also have different physical properties. However, also for the modelling of parcels characteristic variables are necessary. This variable should be determined by using the capillary effect.

Granular materials are a collection of distinct macroscopic particles. Consequently soils, which are used for agricultural purposes are a part of them. In comparison with other simulation models, creating a numerical simulation with the discrete element method (DEM) for different soils prove to be difficult. The reason for this is that there are an enormous number of particles. Therefore it is not possible to reproduce every one of them. On this account, parcels are used in the numerical simulation. These are larger and also have different physical properties. However, also for the modelling of parcels characteristic variables are necessary. This variable should be determined by using the capillary effect.

The simulation of agricultural and forestry processes provides a huge potential in terms of process understanding. At the Institute of Mobile Machines and Commercial Vehicles of Technische Universitaet Braunschweig agricultural materials like grass, straw and wood are simulated by using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). The DEM offers the possibility to define different structural models which consist of discrete elements connected by flexible bonds. By parametrising the flexible bonds of the stalks different physical properties can be considered. In order to model the natural behaviour of stalks the physical properties have to be measured in advance. Therefore different test rigs are used. Additionally at the Institute different cutting, conveying and compacting processes of agricultural machinery are regarded. An overview of the key results, the potential of the DEM and future research activities is given.