{"id":4914,"date":"2020-08-13T17:21:31","date_gmt":"2020-08-13T06:21:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.computationalfluiddynamics.com.au\/?p=3335"},"modified":"2026-02-16T15:50:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T04:50:33","slug":"rocky-dem-materials-calibration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/dem\/rocky-dem-materials-calibration\/","title":{"rendered":"Rocky DEM Materials Calibration"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"4914\" class=\"elementor elementor-4914\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4d997b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a4d997b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e9fa72 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0e9fa72\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Rocky DEM is a high fidelity particle simulation program that quickly and accurately simulates particle behaviour within bulk materials handling systems used across a variety of industries including mining and minerals processing, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, agricultural and any industry dealing with particulate systems or solids handling applications.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-269239e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"269239e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff607b5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ff607b5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e92557b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e92557b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Some keys features include:<\/p><ul><li>an extensive library of <em>realistic particle shapes<\/em>,<\/li><li>an intuitive and <em>easy-to-use interface<\/em>,<\/li><li>superior scalability with <em>CPU, GPU and multi-GPU processing<\/em>,<\/li><li>advanced <em>breakage and flexible particle models<\/em>,<\/li><li>evaluation of <em>belt and surface wear<\/em>,<\/li><li>integration with <em>ANSYS FEA and CFD<\/em>,<\/li><li>complex <em>m<\/em><em>oving and vibrating boundaries<\/em> and more.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-afec184 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"afec184\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b065f91 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b065f91\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"514\" height=\"255\" src=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Rocky-Logo-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7107\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Rocky-Logo-1.png 514w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Rocky-Logo-1-300x149.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 514px) 100vw, 514px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb61f51 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"bb61f51\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-352a985 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"352a985\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1083\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7108\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-1.png 1083w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-1-300x104.png 300w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-1-1024x355.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-1-768x266.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1083px) 100vw, 1083px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9e04750 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9e04750\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Figure 1: Advanced Unique Capabilities of ROCKY DEM<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e88f624 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e88f624\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In this article, we will focus on materials calibration which is a process commonly adopted in DEM to fine-tune material contact parameters in order to match physical testing. This is an important and often overlooked step in DEM, not only to ensure good solution accuracy but to be able to predict potential problems such as belt wear, blockage and spillage and to tailor a design which is optimal and not prone to failure. This is where DEM simulation adds real value to industry.<\/p><p>So why do we need to calibrate? Garbage In, Garbage Out or GIGO, can best describe what happens if we merely bypass the calibration step by guessing or assuming material parameters. So this begs the next question, namely, why don\u2019t we just have a library of materials like we do in FEA or CFD for example? Unlike CFD or FEA, there is no standard library of materials in DEM since the variability in a bulk solid is far greater than standard materials we usually encounter in the world of fluid or structural mechanics (e.g. water, steel etc.).<\/p><p>Shape, size, density, friction, adhesion are just some of these DEM parameters that can vary substantially even within the same bulk solid. Furthermore, external environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity can also affect the way a material flows. Whilst this may sound somewhat overwhelming and time consuming especially for the first time, the calibration process becomes progressively faster and more streamlined as we repeat this process and build up a database of different materials, providing us with a complete matrix of input parameter combinations. Also important to note that whilst there is variation between individual particles and inherent idealizations or simplifications made in the simulation, mainly for ease of computation, it is the macroscopic bulk flow behavior that it important to capture rather than microscopic individual particle interactions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d56e31b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d56e31b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1171\" height=\"401\" src=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7109\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-2.jpg 1171w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-2-300x103.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-2-1024x351.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-2-768x263.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1171px) 100vw, 1171px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3b9fb5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f3b9fb5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Figure 2: Matching the Static Angle of Repose with a Bench-top Test<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2944320 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2944320\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>New Calibration Suite inside ROCKY DEM<\/strong><\/p><p>Rocky DEM has provided both new and existing users with access to a new calibration suite. This suite consists of a series of \u2018standard\u2019 tests, most of which can be conducted on a bench-top at lab scale. These tests are usually conducted under carefully controlled conditions to ensure repeatability and reproducibility. This is an important aspect of testing as it is very rare that the same test will yield identical results, so it is important to repeat the test several times and extract statistically reliable values or a range consisting of a mean and standard deviation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-05b4136 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"05b4136\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"948\" height=\"685\" src=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-3.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7110\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-3.png 948w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-3-300x217.png 300w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-3-768x555.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 948px) 100vw, 948px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aabf877 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"aabf877\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Figure 3: ROCKY DEM Calibration Suite<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f607802 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f607802\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The tests described above have predefined Pre- and Post-processing scripts which provide high-level automation for the user with just a few mouse clicks, thus greatly simplifying the workflow for the end-user. They are designed to be used straight \u2018out of the box\u2019 however can modified and customised by the user to suit their specific requirements. Usually there is no need to run all eight tests for each material as some are specifically designed for free-flowing or cohesive materials and others are more suited to powders and fines rather than lumps or primary crushed ore as highlighted in the table below.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-894d01b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"894d01b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1145\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-4.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7111\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-4.png 1145w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-4-300x145.png 300w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-4-1024x496.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rocky-image-4-768x372.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1145px) 100vw, 1145px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eb0aa43 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"eb0aa43\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Figure 3: Summary of ROCKY DEM Calibration Tests<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9b2765d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9b2765d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Finally, whilst there is no right or wrong test when it comes to materials calibration, the key point is that the numerical calibration test closely resembles the physical test to ensure similar flow conditions. Moreover, thought must be given to the flow conditions of the system to be simulated and the corresponding properties that are important in characterising this type of flow. For example, the consolidation pressures in a chute may be different to those present inside a bin or hopper so a static angle of repose test alone is usually not a reliable means of calibration since it does not consider the bulk solid in motion under higher consolidation loads, as say with a ring or Jenike direct shear tester.<\/p><p><strong>Want more info?<\/strong><\/p><p>For more information or to discuss your application, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">complete this form<\/span><\/a> to speak with our expert team.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rocky DEM is a high fidelity particle simulation program that quickly and accurately simulates particle behaviour within bulk materials handling systems used across a variety of industries including mining and minerals processing, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, agricultural and any industry dealing with particulate systems or solids handling applications. Some keys features include: an extensive library&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/dem\/rocky-dem-materials-calibration\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Rocky DEM Materials Calibration<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","neve_meta_reading_time":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[323,161],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cfd","category-dem"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4914"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7114,"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4914\/revisions\/7114"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leapaust.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}