A new open-source software developed for numerical simulations using discrete modeling methods

The purpose of this work is to present the development of an open-source software based on a discrete description of matter applied to study the behavior of geomaterials. This software uses Object Oriented Programming techniques, and its methodology design uses three different methods, which are the Discrete Element Method (DEM) [F. Donze, S.A. Magnier, Formulation of a three-dimensional numerical model of brittle behavior, Geophys. J. Int. 122 (1995) 790-802, F. Donze, SA. Magnier, L. Daudeville, C. Mariotti, Numerical study of compressive behaviour of concrete at high strain rates, J. Engrg. Mech. (1999) 1154-1163], the Finite Element Method (FEM) [J. Rousseau, E. Frangin, P. Marin, L. Daudeville, Discrete element modelling of concrete structures and coupling with a finite element model, Comput. Concrete (in print), S.P. Xiao, T. Belytschko, A bridging domain method for coupling continua with molecular dynamics, Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 193 (2004) 1645-1669] and the Lattice Geometrical Method (LGM) [J. Kozicki, Application of discrete models to describe the fracture process in brittle materials, Ph.D. thesis, Gdansk University of Technology, 2007, J. Kozicki, J. Tejchman, 2D lattice model for fracture in brittle materials, Arch. Hydro-Engrg. Environ. Mech. 53 (2) (2006) 71-88, J. Kozicki, J. Tejchman, Effect of aggregate structure on fracture process in concrete using 2D lattice model, Arch. Mech. 59 (4-5) (2007) 365-384, J. Kozicki, J. Tejchman, Modelling of fracture process in concrete using a novel lattice model, Granul. Matter (in print), doi: 10.1007/s10035-008-0104-4]. These methods are implemented within a single object-oriented framework in C++ using OOP design patterns. The bulk of the original work consisted mainly of finding common objects which will work for these different modeling methods without changing a single line of the C++ code. With this approach it is possible to add new numerical models by only plugging-in the corresponding formulas. The advantages of the resulting YADE framework are the following: (1) generic design provides great flexibility when adding new scientific simulation code, (2) numerous simulation methods can be coupled within the same framework like for example DEM/FEM and (3) with the open-source philosophy, the community of users collaborate and improve the software. The YADE framework is a new emerging software, which can be downloaded at the http://yade.wikia.comwebpage. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.