Coefficient of restitution of colliding viscoelastic
spheres
Phys. Rev. E 60 4465-4472 (1999)
Index
We perform a dimension analysis for colliding viscoelastic
spheres to show that the coefficient of
normal restitution $\epsilon$ depends on the impact velocity
$g$ as $\epsilon=1-\gamma_1 g^{1/5}+\gamma_2g^{2/5}\mp\dots$, in accordance
with recent findings. We develop a simple theory to find explicit
expressions for coefficients $\gamma_1$ and $\gamma_2$. Using these
and few next expansion coefficients for $\epsilon(g)$ we construct a
Pad\'e-approximation for this function which may be used for a wide
range of impact velocities where the concept of the viscoelastic
collision is valid. The obtained expression reproduces quite
accurately the existing experimental dependence $\epsilon(g)$ for
ice particles.
Molecular Dynamics and Kinetic Theory Group
Physics Department
Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas
Universidad de Chile