Research Internship

Title: DEM modeling of the compression of pharmaceutical powders

Description: Pharmaceutical tablets are the most widely used oral dosage form. They account
for 80% of all pharmaceutical forms. However, during compression of pharmaceutical powder
formulations, several phenomena can occur, such as density heterogeneity, cracking or
sticking. These phenomena have a major impact on tablet conformity.
In the laboratory, we have developed experimental tools and numerical finite element
simulations to study the mechanical behavior of pharmaceutical powders in compression. This
approach uses a constitutive law to describe the mechanical behavior and requires several
tests to identify the parameters characterizing the powder. In this internship, we propose to
study the possibility of using the discrete element method (DEM) as a numerical
experimentation method to identify macro-scale powder properties.
The aim of the internship is to develop a DEM model to simulate the powder compression
cycle (load-unloading and ejection) and the diametral breaking of the compact (cylindrical).
The results of the DEM simulation will be compared with experimental results.
In practical terms, particle interaction in the DEM model is described by the contact law and
material parameters of the model, whose calibration is an important stage of the internship.
Numerical simulations will be carried out using the dp3D software developed at SIMaP,
Grenoble.
Keywords: Discrete element method, compression, pharmaceutical powders, fracture,
mechanical strength

Place: Laboratory RAPSODEE, IMT Mines Albi, France

Duration: 4-6 months, starting date: March, 2024.

Supervisors and Contact: Brayan Paredes Goyes (bparedes@mines-albi.fr) and Abder

Michrafy (abder.michrafy@mines-albi.fr). Send CV + motivation letter.

Education and skills required:

Master 2 student or last year engineering student with knowledge of solid mechanics and an
affinity for numerical simulation. Knowledge of DEM is a plus. Language: English or French
required.

Salary: Approx 600 euros/month