Efficient modelling of particle collisions using a non-linear viscoelastic contact force

TL;DR

This paper develops an efficient approximate model for spherical particle collisions using a non-linear viscoelastic contact force, reducing parameters to a single dimensionless group, and provides analytical expressions for collision time and restitution coefficient.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified yet accurate algebraic rule for modeling particle collisions, improving computational efficiency in soft-sphere collision simulations.

Findings

The model accurately predicts collision outcomes in binary and multiple particle interactions.

The approach reduces computational complexity compared to traditional methods.

Numerical tests demonstrate the method's efficiency and accuracy.

Abstract

In this paper the normal collision of spherical particles is investigated. The particle interaction is modelled in a macroscopic way using the Hertzian contact force with additional linear damping. The goal of the work is to develop an efficient approximate solution of sufficient accuracy for this problem which can be used in soft-sphere collision models for Discrete Element Methods and for particle transport in viscous fluids. First, by the choice of appropriate units, the number of governing parameters of the collision process is reduced to one, which is a simple combination of known material parameters as well as initial conditions. It provides a dimensionless parameter that characterizes all such collisions up to dynamic similitude. Next, a rigorous calculation of the collision time and restitution coefficient from the governing equations, in the form of a series expansion in this parameter is provided. Such a calculation based on first principles is particularly interesting from a theoretical perspective. Since the governing equations present some technical difficulties, the methods employed are also of interest from the point of view of the analytical technique. Using further approximations, compact expressions for the restitution coefficient and the collision time are then provided. These are used to implement an approximate algebraic rule for computing the desired stiffness and damping in the framework of the adaptive collision model (Kempe & Fr\"{o}hlich, J. Fluid Mech., 709: 445-489, 2012). Numerical tests with binary as well as multiple particle collisions are reported to illustrate the accuracy of the proposed method and its superiority in terms of numerical efficiency.