Marie Curie ITN FP7: DEM Simulation for Industrial and Scientific Applications

Granular materials are ubiquitous and play an important role in many engineering fields. The computer simulation of pyrticle systems is a hotspot for worldwide research activities. The overarching aim of the PARDEM project is to provide high quality training to a group of young researchers, contributing to the development of a new generation of multidisciplinary researchers able to work within the newly emerging supra-disciplinary field of Discrete Element Method (DEM) computational simulations of granular processes. Within this ITN, an intersectoral training program will reduce the shortage of R&D engineers experienced in DEM while – in parallel – several original research questions will be answered, related to the transition from very small discrete particles up to industrial processes and plants. Both objectives are necessary to formulate methods/standards for code validation and model calibration so that DEM can be transformed from a largely scientific tool into a widely adopted industrial method providing an advantage for the competitiveness of the EU economy due to reduced development times and more efficient processes.