Abstract
Large scale computational models are important for studying impact cratering events that are prevalent both on Earth and, more broadly, in this solar system. To address these problems, models must reliably account for both large length scales (e.g., kilometers) and relatively long time scales (hundreds of seconds). This work benchmarks two such approaches, a more traditional hydrodynamics approach and a finite-discrete element method (FDEM), for impact cratering applications. Both 2D and 3D results are discussed for two different impact velocities, 5 km/s and 20 km/s, striking normal to the target and, for 3D simulations, 45° from vertical. In addition, comparisons to previously published data are presented. Finally, differences in how these methods model damage are discussed. Ultimately, both approaches show successful modeling of several different impact scenarios.
Highlights
Impact cratering is a phenomenon that happens across a wide range of spatial scales, from large geological scales which encompass examples such as asteroid impacts to very small scales such as microparticle impacts
Target and impactor materials behave as fluids, with hydrodynamics governing the motion of material [1,2,3]
The hydrocode approach is a more traditional approach for addressing impact cratering problems [4,5,6,7,8,9], while the finite-discrete element method (FDEM) approach has been traditionally used for brittle fracture in geomaterials [10,11,12]
Summary
Impact cratering is a phenomenon that happens across a wide range of spatial scales, from large geological scales which encompass examples such as asteroid impacts to very small scales such as microparticle impacts. The hydrocode approach is a more traditional approach for addressing impact cratering problems [4,5,6,7,8,9], while the FDEM approach has been traditionally used for brittle fracture in geomaterials [10,11,12] These approaches are operative on similar spatial scales, but the underlying formulation, in how each approach accounts for damage, is very different. Combined with the fact that contact problems require a spatial search for contacts every certain number of time steps [26,27], the result is that FDEM is more computationally expensive than traditional continuum-based models Another drawback of the FDEM, because it is a Lagrangian-based method, is the time-step size restrictions imposed by highly deformed elements [13,15].
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