Co-simulation of multibody dynamics and discrete element method for hydraulic excavators

Multibody dynamics (MBD) simulation is a useful tool to analyse the kinematic function of multibody systems, while discrete element method (DEM) is widely used to simulate particle flows in various types of equipment at the individual particle scale and as an overall process. A combination of MBD and DEM methods, such as functional mock-up interface (FMI) based co-simulation, could capture both updated material behaviour and equipment behaviour and predict the equipment performance. In this work, MBD and FMI co-simulations are based on the commercial software Dymola. MBD models have been developed for hydraulic excavator system. GPU-based DEM models have also been developed for excavator digging cycles. Finally, MBD-DEM FMI co-simulation results show that solid materials can significantly affect the movement of excavators. [Display omitted] •MBD model for a simplified excavator is developed based on Dymola.•MBD dig cycles can be flexibly adjusted.•GPU-based DEM model is developed with dynamic computational domain.•MBD-DEM FMI co-simulation models have been developed.•Co-simulation results show the mutual effect of solid materials and excavator.