A study of the influence of REV variability in double-scale FEMxDEM analysis

In this work, the consequences of using several different discrete element granular assemblies for the representation of the microscale structure, in the framework of multiscale modeling, have been investigated. The adopted modeling approach couples, through computational homogenization, a macroscale continuum with microscale discrete simulations. Several granular assemblies were used depending on the location in the macroscale finite element mesh. The different assemblies were prepared independently as being representative of the same material, but their geometrical differences imply slight differences in their response to mechanical loading. The role played by the micro-assemblies, with weaker macroscopic mechanical properties, on the initiation of strain localization in biaxial compression tests is demonstrated and illustrated by numerical modeling of different macroscale configurations.