Contact detection algorithms for three‐dimensional ellipsoids in discrete element modelling

Abstract Using arrays of ellipsoidal particles in the Discrete Element Method (DEM) is one of the means to enhance simulations of granular materials. A major challenge in implementing ellipsoidal element to DEM is the development of an efficient and stable contact detection algorithm in order to properly detect contact formation and compute contact forces on the elements. In view of the current available methods in two‐dimensional (2D) condition, two different contact detection algorithms for ellipsoidal particles in 3D modelling are identified. Their accuracy and efficiency are compared and the results favour the algorithm based on the geometric potential concept. This algorithm has been implemented in the recently developed DEM code ELLIPSE3D.