Calibration and Experimental Determination of Parameters for the Discrete Element Model of Shells

This study conducts systematic experimental and numerical investigations to address the parameter calibration issue in the discrete element model of seashells, aiming to establish a high-fidelity numerical model that accurately characterizes their macroscopic mechanical behavior, thereby providing a basis for optimizing parameters of seashell crushing equipment. Firstly, intrinsic parameters of seashells were determined through physical experiments: density of 2.2 kg/m3, Poisson’s ratio of 0.26, shear modulus of 1.57 × 108 Pa, and elastic modulus of 6.5 × 1010 Pa. Subsequently, contact parameters between seashells and between seashells and 304 stainless steel, including static friction coefficient, rolling friction coefficient, and coefficient of restitution, were obtained via the inclined plane method and impact tests. The reliability of these contact parameters was validated by the angle of repose test, with a relative error of 5.1% between simulation and measured results. Based on this, using ultimate load as the response indicator, the PlackettBurman experimental design was employed to identify normal stiffness per unit area and tangential stiffness per unit area as the primary influencing parameters. The Bonding model parameters were then precisely calibrated through the steepest ascent test and design, resulting in an optimal parameter set. The error between simulation results and physical experiments was only 3.8%, demonstrating the high reliability and accuracy of the established model and parameter calibration methodology.