Numerical studies of cavitation erosion on an elastic-plastic material caused by shock-induced bubble collapse

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society. A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, 2017-09, Vol.473 (2205), p.1-20
• Main Authors: Turangan, C. K., Ball, G. J., Jamaluddin, A. R., Leighton, T. G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1364-5021

We present a study of shock-induced collapse of single bubbles near/attached to an elastic-plastic solid using the free-Lagrange method, which forms the latest part of our shock-induced collapse studies. We simulated the collapse of 40 radius single bubbles near/attached to rigid and aluminium walls by a 60MPa lithotripter shock for various scenarios based on bubble-wall separations, and the collapse of a 255μm radius bubble attached to aluminium foil with a 65MPa lithotripter shock. The coupling of the multi-phases, compressibility, axisymmetric geometry and elastic-plastic material model within a single solver has enabled us to examine the impingement of high-speed liquid jets from the shock-induced collapsing bubbles, which imposes an extreme compression in the aluminium that leads to pitting and plastic deformation. For certain scenarios, instead of the high-speed jet, a radially inwards flow along the aluminium surface contracts the bubble to produce a 'mushroom shape'. This work provides methods for quantifying which parameters (e.g. bubble sizes and separations from the solid) might promote or inhibit erosion on solid surfaces.