Patent Document ID: 9020784
Application ID: 13626570
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of providing a bonded-particle model amongst a plurality of discrete particles representing a physical domain in a time-marching simulation to obtain numerically simulated continuum physical phenomena, the method comprising: receiving a definition of a plurality of discrete particles representing a physical domain made of brittle material in a computer system having an application module installed thereon; assigning a domain of influence to each discrete particle; associating a bonded-particle model for the plurality of discrete particles with physical properties of the physical domain, said bonded-particle model defining respective bonds to connect said each discrete particle and another one or more of the discrete particles within the domain of influence of said each discrete particle and defining a rule for determining bond breakage, wherein the physical properties include deformations and fracture energy release rate; and obtaining numerically simulated continuum physical phenomena by conducting a time-marching simulation of the physical domain subject to a loading condition using the discrete particles whose behaviors are governed by the bonded-particle model.