Theoretical and experimental analyses of energy distribution between particle and contact surface under static and dynamic loads

Abstract

In this study, single particle compression and impact tests were employed to measure various parameters such as the projected area of indentation, kinetic energy, and mechanical work done to deform the particle and the surface. The experiments were conducted with various particulate materials, including glass, steel, and ceramic spheres, and silica gel particles. In addition, various surface materials were tested, including two aluminum alloys, a steel alloy, stainless steel, brass, and PVC. The analyses showed that the compression force and work done to deform the surface were both linearly dependent on the projected area of indentation and apparent volume of indentation, respectively. Additionally, the slope of the compression force with respect to the projected area of the indentation graph represented the hardness of the surface material. It was also shown that, for the measured range of impact velocities (10–65 m/s), the applied force during impact was identical to the static compression force, with a deviation of ±20%. Lastly, a semi-empirical model was developed to estimate the percentage of total kinetic energy required to deform the surface and the particle in an elastic-plastic manner. The model exhibited a reasonable agreement with the experimental results, with deviation of ±10%.