Numerical framework for coupling SPH with image-based DEM for irregular particles

Understanding fluid-particle interactions is crucial due to their occurrence in both natural phenomena and engineering applications, but accurately capturing these interactions presents considerable challenges. The complexity escalates when accounting for the natural shape of particles, prompting the development of numerical solutions to address these complexities. Here, we propose a numerical framework that combines Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) with the Imaged-based Discrete Element Method (iDEM) to model the fluid and particle components, respectively, while considering the actual shape of particles. Initially, we validated our approach by simulating sphere and cube water entry cases, confirming the method’s accuracy. Later, we applied the coupling scheme to a more complex scenario of a dam break, involving irregular and cubic grains of equivalent mass and volume. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in capturing the actual shape of grains and elucidate the influence of particle shape on various fluid parameters. We found that fluid movement is facilitated more in cubic packs due to reduced interlocking and increased surface area, resulting in higher fluid and particle velocities and enhanced displacement in cube-shaped grains. These findings deepen our understanding of fluid-particle interactions in complex systems and the significance of particle shape in such analyses.