Numerical simulation of soil-cone penetrometer interaction using discrete element method

Results showed that the penetration process can be simulated very well using the DEM. The model's calculated penetration resistance and the corresponding in-situ measurement were in good agreement, with mean error of 14.74%. The best performing models were a rectangular model with an area ratio of 72 and a height ratio of 1.33 and a circular model with an area ratio of 32 and a height ratio of 2. The simulation output of soil material properties with direct shear box resulted in representative values of real loamy sand soils, with cohesion values range of 6.61-8.66 kPa and internal friction angle values range of 41.34-41.60°. It can be concluded that the DEM can be successfully used to simulate the interaction between soil and cone penetrometers in agricultural soils.