Comparative Modeling of Shear Localization in Granular Bodies with FEM and DEM

The intention of the paper is to compare the calculations of shear zones in granular bodies using two different approaches: a continuum and a discrete one. In the first case, the FEM based on a micro-polar hypoplastic constitutive law was used. In the second case, the DEM was taken advantage of, where contact moments were taken into account to model grain roughness. The comparative calculations were performed for a passive case of a translating and rotating retaining wall.