We investigated the effects of model size and particle size on the simulated macroscopic mechanical properties, uniaxial compressive strength, Young’s modulus, and flexural strength of sea-ice samples, using the discrete-element method (DEM) with a bonded-particle model. Many different samples with a hexagonal-close-packing pattern and a unique particle size were considered, and several ratios of particle size to sample dimension (D/L) were studied for each sample. The macroscopic mechanical properties simulated by the DEM decrease monotonously with an increase in D/L. For different samples with different particle sizes, the macroscopic mechanical properties will be identical when D/L is constant. The quantitative relationships between macroscopic mechanical properties and ratio of particle size to sample size are important aspects in engineering applications of the DEM method. The results provide guidance on the choice of a particle size in the DEM simulation for numerical samples with a hexagonal-close-packing pattern.

我们使用离散粒子方法（DEM）和键合粒子模型，研究了模型尺寸和粒径对模拟的宏观力学性能，单轴抗压强度，杨氏模量和海冰样品抗弯强度的影响。考虑了许多具有六方密堆积模式和独特粒径的样品，并对每种样品研究了几种粒径与样品尺寸的比率（D / L）。DEM模拟的宏观力学性能随着D / L的增加单调降低。对于具有不同粒径的不同样品，当D / L时，宏观力学性能将相同。是恒定的。宏观机械性能与颗粒尺寸与样品尺寸之比之间的定量关系是DEM方法在工程应用中的重要方面。结果为在具有六边形密堆积图案的数字样品的DEM模拟中选择粒径提供了指导。