Analysis of surface-erosion mechanism due to impacts of freely rotating angular particles using smoothed particle hydrodynamics erosion model

The free rotation of an angular particle during its impact on ductile surfaces is an important factor that influences the erosion mechanism. However, the phenomenon cannot be easily revealed experimentally because the incident conditions cannot be accurately controlled. In this study, a novel erosion model based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics method is proposed to simulate single and multiple impacts of particles with specified angularities on a ductile surface. The model can simulate a particle having free rotation during the impact process and initial rotation prior to the impact. The results show that the impact angle and initial orientation significantly affect the tumbling behavior, which determines the erosion mechanism. Moreover, the initial rotation is investigated by assigning an initial angular velocity to the particle at the onset of impact. The proposed smoothed particle hydrodynamics erosion model is proven to be a promising complementary method that supports experimental techniques. This study provides insight for understanding the fundamental mechanisms of surface erosion due to angular particles.