Force Chain Finder

[Nimajhi]

I want to suggest that since PhasicFlow already performs particle collision calculations, it would be a valuable enhancement to add Force Chain Finder to the program. This can be achieved by introducing an option to store detailed particle-particle collision information. By capturing and storing data on each collision, including the forces involved and the contact points, the software could then analyze and visualize force chains within the particle system.

[PhasicFlow]

In version 1.x, we can add this option to caseSetup/interaction, so that when this is activated, the program stores the force chain and saves it to the disk.

[Nimajhi]

ok, i'm adding it as option in interaction file that show the option on or off.
after that i check the src and find the calculation of overlap contact is in sphereInteractionKernels.hpp.
but now phasicFlow write the contactForce=FCn+FCt for the particles that collide.
now i'm a little confused about the next step i need to do

[PhasicFlow]

Do you want the forceChain to be calculated as per normal overlap and hence only normal force between particles are calculated, or you want both normal and tangential contact force to be stored?

[Nimajhi]

maybe better to keep both.

[PhasicFlow]

Well, in this case, you need to create a file and save the results in that file. Later, you can convert this file into vtk and visualize the results in Paraview. I think you need to keep these data in the file

1. centre position of colliding particles
2. maybe the diameter of particles.
3. the contact force between these two particles.

As a warning, do not use any file stream in the kernel. Since the kernel is executed in parallel and file streaming conflicts with the parallel threads.