Simulation of solitary waves in a monodisperse granular chain using COMSOL multiphysics: localized plastic deformation as a dissipation mechanism

Abstract

Solitary wave propagation in a monodisperse granular chain was simulated using the finite element method. The model was built to address a discrepancy between numerical and experimental results from Lazaridi and Nesterenko (J Appl Mech Tech Phys 26(3):405–408 1985). In their work, solitary waves were generated in a chain of particles through impact of a piston, and results were quantified by comparing the chains’ reactions to a rigid wall. Their numerical calculations resulted in a solitary wave with a force amplitude of 83 N, while it was measured experimentally to be 71 N. In the present work, the configuration of the granular chain and piston was duplicated from Lazaridi and Nesterenko (J Appl Mech Tech Phys 26(3):405–408, 1985). Qualitatively similar solitary waves were produced, and von Mises stress values indicated that localized plastic deformation is possible, even at low piston impact velocities. These results show that localized plastic deformation was a likely source of dissipation in experiments performed by Lazaridi and Nesterenko.