Improving the 3D Finite-Discrete Element Method and Its Application in the Simulation of Wheel–Sand Interactions

An efficient sphere-packing algorithm named hierarchical generation method (HGM) is developed. The method is capable of efficiently generating spheres with a specific size distribution in a given geometric domain. Moreover, an improved contact algorithm for contact detection between spherical discrete elements and hexahedron finite elements (INTS) is presented. The algorithm is also suitable for simulating complex wheel–sand interactions. By using the developed algorithm, the running behaviors of a chevron tread-pattern wheel on a sand bed are simulated. The sand bed model is established by HGM and wheel–sand interactions are simulated using INTS. Numerical results validate the feasibility of the proposed method in the simulation of wheel–sand interactions.