An improved ellipsoid-ellipsoid discrete element framework algorithm design and code development

In the simulation of discrete element method, the contact detect algorithm is a key step. For the ellipsoidal element, the intersection, geometric potential, and common normal algorithms are commonly used. But there are two defects in these algorithms: low accuracy of contact geometric information and large iterations. Therefore, an ellipsoid-ellipsoid discrete element framework algorithm was designed in this paper. While improving the Cundall common plane method, the Cundall algorithm framework was followed. Taking the packing process of the ellipsoids as an example, experiment and numerical simulation were carried out. The correctness of the algorithm was verified by identifying the final position of the specific ellipsoid. And compared with the geometric potential method, results showed that the computation efficiency was increased by 15.88%, the iteration was reduced by 25.59%, the maximum contact depth was increased by 32.52%, which was more beneficial on the contact computation of ellipsoidal element.