Angular particle impact on ductile materials using the Lagrangian gradient smoothing method

Abstract

The impacts of single angular particles on ductile materials can result in large deformations and material chip separation, which cannot be effectively simulated using conventional mesh-based numerical methods. In this study, a novel particle-based mesh-free method called the Lagrangian gradient smoothing method (L-GSM) is first applied to simulate the dynamic process of single diamond-shaped particles impact on metallic surfaces. Based on the theory of L-GSM, a numerical model is established by incorporating the Johnson–Cook plasticity and failure models. Oxygen-free high-conductivity (OFHC) copper which is represented by a series of discrete particles, is selected as the material of the target block. Simulation results show that the L-GSM model can reproduce the typical erosion mechanisms such as cutting, micro-machining and ploughing. The large deformation of plastic craters and material removal are successfully simulated without using any additional techniques to handle the distorted domain. In addition, the computational accuracy and efficiency of the L-GSM are discussed by comparison with different mesh-free models. This study provides an effective numerical model with better accuracy and efficiency, helping to reveal the fundamental erosion mechanisms resulting from the impacts of angular particles.