The development of commercially available discrete element modeling software packages such as Particle Flow Code combined with the improved computational power of desktop PCs have created opportunities to apply discrete element models to the modeling of oil sand behaviour. Discrete element models can simulate micro-mechanical phenomena and can provide fundamental insight into the physical behaviour of oil sand that cannot be captured in finite element or boundary element models. Particle Flow Code (PFC) is being used to study the geomechanical behaviour of oil sands. This paper presents results from initial research conducted to establish the input parameters for PFC to simulate triaxial tests on reconstituted oil sands.
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