Simulating direct shear tests with the Bullet physics library: A validation study

Area of Science:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Computational Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Physics engines are widely used in entertainment for realistic simulations.
• These engines optimize simulations of rigid bodies, soft bodies, and fluids.
• This research specifically explores granular system simulation using the Bullet physics library.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of the Bullet physics library for simulating granular media.
• To validate simulation results against experimental data from direct shear tests.
• To investigate granular material failure and post-failure mechanisms computationally.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Bullet physics library for rigid body dynamics simulations.
• Performed direct shear tests on uniform metal beads for validation.
• Compared simulation outputs (friction angle, dilatancy) with laboratory findings.
• Simulated direct shear tests on real soil samples.

Main Results:

• Simulation of direct shear tests on metal beads showed a minimal 1.0° difference in average mobilized friction angle compared to experiments.
• Dilatancy patterns in simulations closely mirrored those observed in laboratory samples.
• The Bullet physics library demonstrated capability in simulating granular systems, including real soil.

Conclusions:

• The Bullet physics library is a viable tool for simulating granular systems.
• The validated simulation approach can be applied to complex geotechnical scenarios.
• This computational method offers a powerful approach for understanding granular material behavior.