Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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DY: Fachverband Dynamik und Statistische Physik

DY 19: Franco-German Session on Granular Matter I

DY 19.4: Talk

Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 10:30–10:45, HÜL/S186

Impact of Roughness on Packing Fraction — •Adrien Luyckx and Eric Opsomer — GRASP Institute, Liege University, Belgium

This study investigates the impact of particle rugosity on the mechanical properties of piles using computational methods. We focus on smooth, non-convex particles (rod, cross, and star shapes) approximated via multisphere approach. Our research introduces the concepts of macro-rugosity, which increases as we progress from rod to cross to star shapes, and meso-rugosity, which is adjusted by varying the number of spheres composing the particles. Key findings include: (1) A limited meso-rugosity is sufficient to capture the mechanical properties of a pile, such as its height. (2) As macro-rugosity increases, the required meso-rugosity decreases. These results demonstrate that particle representation can be optimized by balancing meso-rugosity with the imposed macro-rugosity, significantly reducing computational demands. Our findings contribute to the ongoing efforts in enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of discrete element methods (DEM) in modeling complex particle systems.

Keywords: Packing; Roughness; Non-convex; Simulation