  Discrete Element Methods (DEM) are a useful tool to model the fracture of
cohesive granular materials. For this kind of application, simple particle
shapes (discs in 2D, spheres in 3D) are usually employed. However, dealing with
more general particle shapes allows to account for the natural heterogeneity of
grains inside real materials. We present a discrete model allowing to mimic
cohesion between contacting or non-contacting particles whatever their shape in
2D and 3D. The cohesive interactions are made of cohesion points placed on
interacting particles, with the aim of representing a cohesive phase lying
between the grains. Contact situations are solved according to unilateral
contact and Coulomb friction laws. In order to test the developed model, 2D
unixial compression simulations are performed. Numerical results show the
ability of the model to mimic the macroscopic behavior of an aggregate grain
subject to axial compression, as well as fracture initiation and propagation. A
study of the influence of model and sample parameters provides important
information on the ability of the model to reproduce various behaviors.

Soft Condensed Matter