Experiments and numerical simulations with 2D disks assembly

The paper presents a comparison between numerical simulations and experimen tal results for a biaxial compression test of a 2D disks assembly. The nume rical method is based on "contact dynamics" (CD) which is briefly described . Two numerical samples are considered: the first one uses as data the meas ured positions of gains in an experimental apparatus, the second one is der ived from the first one by numerical changes. The obtained results show tha t the numerical macroscopic behavior of the sample depends strongly on the chosen initial state (sample preparation). As far as local mechanisms of de formation are concerned, "CD" proves its ability to capture the experimenta lly observed localization of deformation in shear banding. (C) 2000 Elsevie r Science S.A. All rights reserved.