ABSTRACT
The discrete element method (DEM) is an attractive candidate for this task as it can replicate complex soil behaviour with the use of relatively simple inter-particle contact models. This paper examines the capability of DEM to model the interaction problem of tunnelling beneath buried pipelines. The paper is organised as follows: a description of the developed centrifuge model and equipment is provided first. The DEM model is then described, including the developed formulations used to replicate the tunnel and pipeline. This is followed by a results section in which the data from the centrifuge and DEM models are compared. Finally, concluding remarks are given.
