Update on the Discrete Element Method in Engineering Education

In this paper, the authors discussed some experiences to introduce a Discrete (or Distinct) Element Method (DEM) to engineering graduate students. The authors of this paper were among the researchers who applied DEM in the asphalt mixture study; therefore a course of the application of DEM was designed and scheduled at Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) in summers of 2004 and 2005. In addition, the authors applied the DEM in student research projects in TAMUK and Michigan Technological University. In the class education, the objectives were to teach students numerical analysis methods focusing on discrete element method. In order to introduce the advances of the DEM to the graduate curriculum, some materials such as soil, sand, and asphalt mixture materials were introduced to students to better understand the DEM. Students would also be able to use the image processing software (ImagePro Plus) in the advanced material study. This course also involved the virtual experiments concepts using discrete element simulation. The course was organized to include ten major topics such as image processing, discrete element analysis, and finite element analysis, in class computer applications and discussions, homework, research projects, and presentation.