(65c) Discrete Element Method Study of Liquid Transfer Between Rough Particles in a Shear Cell

Contact spreading of liquid in granular systems occurs through the formation and rupture of liquid bridges. In many DEM simulations that include contact spreading, it is assumed that liquid uniformly covers the surface of the particle, and that the liquid that participates in the bridge is a fraction of the total liquid volume based on the two particles’ geometries. In this study we assume the liquid is distributed in discrete volumes on the surface of the particles, e.g., in valleys located on the particle surfaces, instead of assuming that the liquid uniformly coats each particle. We compare the rates of contact spreading in a shear cell using this “rough particle” model to other liquid transfer models proposed in the literature.