Simulation of rebound, flattening, and surface penetration regimes in high-velocity microparticle impacts using smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Simulation of rebound, flattening, and surface penetration regimes in high-velocity microparticle impacts using smoothed particle hydrodynamics | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Simulation of rebound, flattening, and surface penetration regimes in high-velocity microparticle impacts using smoothed particle hydrodynamics Mankarn Sandhu, Ahmed Tiamiyu, John Magliaro This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8930301/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract High-velocity microparticle impacts involving ductile metals underpin destructive events and solid-state deposition processes, such as cold spray. Simulating these dynamic events enables detailed evaluation of complex, rapidly evolving phenomena such as adiabatic shear instability. However, the rapid upturn in dynamic flow strength at extreme strain rates (> 10 6 /s) associated with high-velocity impacts is often neglected, and validation exercises are scarce. This study presents meshfree simulations of microparticle impacts involving oxygen-free high-conductivity copper (Cu) and commercially pure aluminum (Al), using an axisymmetric smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) approach coupled with a modified Johnson-Cook constitutive model with Cowper-Symonds rate sensitivity. The simulations were validated against recently published experimental data involving low-velocity particle rebound, critical profile dimensions, the onset of material jetting, deposition, and hydrodynamic penetration. Matched Al-Al and Cu-Cu, and mismatched Al/Cu particle-substrate pairs were considered, with particle diameters between 10 and 30 µm and impact velocities between 50 and 1300 m/s. The coefficients of restitution for low-velocity impacts and the critical velocity for bonding were predicted with average errors of 20.6% and 6.3%, respectively, across the parametric scope. The onset of hydrodynamic penetration (no net deposition), and critical post-impact profile features such as surface morphology, particle rim curling, and ejecta release (jetting) were also predicted with similar accuracy. Simulations of elliptical microparticle impacts quantified the influence of particle shape and orientation effects on the onset of bonding and post-impact flattened surface morphology. These findings highlight opportunities to simulate shock-induced phenomena in more realistic physical domains efficiently, thereby enabling more informed selection of materials and process parameters, as well as the design of solid-state-deposited surfaces. Mechanical Engineering High-velocity impact Cold spray Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) Jetting Adiabatic shear instability Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8930301","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":594728502,"identity":"706203ea-2a5b-4532-9a9a-c95a7633a348","order_by":0,"name":"Mankarn Sandhu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Waterloo","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mankarn","middleName":"","lastName":"Sandhu","suffix":""},{"id":594728503,"identity":"f5669a93-d830-4a46-bf4b-f04ad433fae9","order_by":1,"name":"Ahmed Tiamiyu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Calgary","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ahmed","middleName":"","lastName":"Tiamiyu","suffix":""},{"id":594728504,"identity":"fc921fef-6428-48e1-9c01-33b3e4063eb2","order_by":2,"name":"John Magliaro","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA/ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACxvYGIFkgwcAPFZAhrKXnAJA0kGCQBGkFsnkIWyORANICRAeI1cLckJ348YuBhbzxjRzDzx8q7vHwszcwfviBz2ENZzdLyxhIGG67kWMsceBMMY9kzwFmyR58Whp7N0hLGEgwbruRu0HiYFsCj8GNBDa8zmNs5t38G6jFfvOM3M0/Dv6DaGH8g09LG+82yQ8GEokbJHK3SRxsgGhhxmtLD+82a2AgJ8848/6bxZljCUC/HGyWxhc7hvPfbr75o6LOtr89LflGRU2CHD9788GPb/BpaQAGNJozGBvwaGBgkAcpwRcLo2AUjIJRMAoYAIKUT3zGn5Q+AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"University of Waterloo","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"John","middleName":"","lastName":"Magliaro","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-21 03:50:36","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8930301/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8930301/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103505859,"identity":"a6cbbc55-bd98-40b7-a074-0c414e3e8130","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-26 13:33:16","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1751039,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"CSM01Manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8930301/v1_covered_a939fdc6-9ff4-470b-9428-dcf8553aab67.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimulation of rebound, flattening, and surface penetration regimes in high-velocity microparticle impacts using smoothed particle hydrodynamics\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"High-velocity impact, Cold spray, Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), Jetting, Adiabatic shear instability","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8930301/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8930301/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eHigh-velocity microparticle impacts involving ductile metals underpin destructive events and solid-state deposition processes, such as cold spray. Simulating these dynamic events enables detailed evaluation of complex, rapidly evolving phenomena such as adiabatic shear instability. However, the rapid upturn in dynamic flow strength at extreme strain rates (\u0026gt; 10\u003csup\u003e6 \u003c/sup\u003e/s) associated with high-velocity impacts is often neglected, and validation exercises are scarce. This study presents meshfree simulations of microparticle impacts involving oxygen-free high-conductivity copper (Cu) and commercially pure aluminum (Al), using an axisymmetric smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) approach coupled with a modified Johnson-Cook constitutive model with Cowper-Symonds rate sensitivity. The simulations were validated against recently published experimental data involving low-velocity particle rebound, critical profile dimensions, the onset of material jetting, deposition, and hydrodynamic penetration. Matched Al-Al and Cu-Cu, and mismatched Al/Cu particle-substrate pairs were considered, with particle diameters between 10 and 30\u0026nbsp;µm and impact velocities between 50 and 1300\u0026nbsp;m/s. The coefficients of restitution for low-velocity impacts and the critical velocity for bonding were predicted with average errors of 20.6% and 6.3%, respectively, across the parametric scope. The onset of hydrodynamic penetration (no net deposition), and critical post-impact profile features such as surface morphology, particle rim curling, and ejecta release (jetting) were also predicted with similar accuracy. Simulations of elliptical microparticle impacts quantified the influence of particle shape and orientation effects on the onset of bonding and post-impact flattened surface morphology. These findings highlight opportunities to simulate shock-induced phenomena in more realistic physical domains efficiently, thereby enabling more informed selection of materials and process parameters, as well as the design of solid-state-deposited surfaces.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Simulation of rebound, flattening, and surface penetration regimes in high-velocity microparticle impacts using smoothed particle hydrodynamics","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-24 02:59:20","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8930301/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"2d056fb9-089b-4a7a-8b84-dae068b38934","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 24th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":63292655,"name":"Mechanical Engineering"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-24T02:59:20+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-24 02:59:20","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8930301","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8930301","identity":"rs-8930301","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}