----- Title: ----- Discrete and Finite Element Methods and Applications ----------- Organizers: ----------- Scott Johnson johnson346@llnl.gov Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory P.O. Box 808, L-206 Livermore, CA 94551-9900 Joseph Morris morris50@llnl.gov Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory P.O. Box 808, L-206 Livermore, CA 94551-9900 John Williams jrw@mit.edu 77 Massachusetts Ave., 1-250 Cambridge, MA 02139 ------------------------- Minisymposium description: ------------------------- Discrete (DEM) and combined finite/discrete (FEM/DEM) element methods have become increasingly used in a wide range of academic and industrial fields to model systems where the behavior at the length scale of interest is dominated by interactions of discrete material regions. From the modeling of micron-scale powder dynamics to the simulation of dynamically loaded geophysical formations, DEM and FEM/DEM have been used to successfully characterize behaviors of engineering interest. This mini-symposium will address recent developments in this area, including both algorithmic advances as well as advanced applications. Contributions for all areas of DEM and FEM/DEM are encouraged, including industrial applications, algorithmic advances, solid-fluid coupling, basic granular mechanics investigations, powder flow dynamics, and verification/validation studies.