Page 48 - The Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method

THE COMBINED FINITE-DISCRETE ELEMENT METHOD 31

Figure 1.46 The combined finite-discrete element simulation of the collapse sequence of a bridge
impacted by a heavy vehicle.

Figure 1.47 Initial conditions, failure and collapse of the retaining wall.

• disintegration of the base,
• break due to the inertia forces,
• final fragmentation due to the crash against the ground.

In all the examples shown, deformation of individual discrete elements has been taken into
account, interaction among discrete elements has been resolved at every time instance,
transient dynamics has been considered and finally, transition from continua to discontinua
including failure, fracture and fragmentation have all been included.
The simulations shown above are some of the early simulations obtained by using the
combined finite-discrete element method (early 1990s). Ever since Munjiza first proposed
the combined finite-discrete method in 1989, the field of applications has widened and
the complexity of the simulations has increased. The combined finite-discrete element
method is now a fast developing area of computational mechanics of discontinua involv-
ing researchers and engineers from various disciplines. In recent years, 3D simulations