Sensitivity Analysis of the DEM Model Numerical Parameters on the Value of the Angle of Repose of Lunar Regolith Analogs

The discrete element method (DEM) is a numerical technique used in many areas of modern science to describe the behavior of bulk materials. Terramechanics of planetary soil analogs for in situ resource utilization activities is a research field where the use of DEM appears to be beneficial. Indeed, the close-to-physics modeling approach of DEM allows the researcher to gain much insight into the mechanical behavior of the regolith when it interacts with external devices in conditions that are hard to test experimentally. Nevertheless, DEM models are very difficult to calibrate due to their high complexity. In this paper, we study the influence of fundamental model parameters on specific simulation outcomes. We provide qualitative and quantitative assessments of the influence of DEM model parameters on the simulated repose angle and computational time. These results help to understand the behavior of the numerical model and are useful in the model calibration process.