Quasi-static shear deformation of a soft particle system

The paper presents results of numerical simulations of quasi-static shear deformation of a polydisperse system of soft elastic spheres with interface friction and adhesion. Both axisymmetric compression and axisymmetric extension tests have been simulated. In each case, two shear simulations were performed: one in which the mean stress was maintained constant and the other in which the system was deformed at constant volume. In addition to the macroscopic stress–strain behaviour obtained, details are provided about the evolution of various internal variables associated with the micromechanics occurring at the particle scale.