The compaction of granular materials is a process encountered in a wide variety of systems – both naturally occurring and man-made. A clear understanding of the dependence of the mechanical properties of the solid product on both the characteristics of the starting materials and the system dynamics during the process itself is crucial for the effective design, control and scale-up of powder compaction.

In order to enable existing numerical tools to better predict the mechanical properties of finished composite products, a model has been developed, simulating the inter-particle bonding during compaction. The outcome of the model is dependent on pressure, history of the interaction and properties of the constituent powders.

The results of the model are validated using a Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique, coupled with the mechanical compression of the finished compact. These allow for the local resolution of the composite’s mechanical properties and their comparison with those predicted by simulations.