Effects of lightweight particle content on the mechanical strength of cylindrical aggregates

By using an extensive three-dimensional discrete element method, we numerically investigate the effects of lightweight particle content on the mechanical strength of the cylindrical aggregates, randomly composed of two different groups of primary particles: light (low stiffness) and heavy (high stiffness), and the stress contribution of the heavy-heavy, light-heavy, and light-light interactions on the mechanical behavior of such aggregates, subjected to the compression test by using a constant downward velocity.