Quantitative evaluation of surface material effects on particle impact damper performance- a time domain analysis

• Material Performance Benchmarking: We evaluated six impact surface materials—three hard (Aluminium, Steel, Acrylic) and three soft (Rubber, Polyethylene foam, Polyurethane foam)—using both experimental and numerical methods. • Superior Damping with Soft Materials: Polyurethane foam (COR = 0.36) achieved a 52.16% reduction in vibration amplitude and a 78% reduction in impact force compared to Aluminium (COR = 0.82). Rubber and PE foam showed moderate improvements with 21.38% and 22.35% amplitude reductions, respectively. • Model Validation: Our simplified numerical model incorporating the coefficient of restitution (COR) demonstrated strong agreement with experimental data, with a maximum deviation of only 7.14%, validating its reliability for PID design optimization. Although particle impact dampers (PIDs) have received much attention for their effectiveness in passive vibration reduction, the influence of impact surface material on damping performance, especially in the time-domain, remains inadequately investigated. This study examines the impact of six materials; three hard (Aluminium, Steel, Acrylic) and three soft (Rubber, Polyethylene foam, Polyurethane foam), on vibration attenuation utilizing a single-degree-of-freedom system. A verified numerical model that includes the coefficient of restitution (COR) is utilized in conjunction with experimental testing. The findings indicate that Polyurethane foam (COR = 0.36) exhibits superior damping efficacy, diminishing vibration amplitude by 52.16% and impact force by 78% in comparison to Aluminium (COR = 0.82). Rubber and PE foam provide decreases of 21.38% and 22.35%, respectively, whilst hard surfaces demonstrate negligible enhancement. The numerical model strongly correlates with experimental data, with a maximum variation of 7.14%. These findings indicate that soft, energy-absorbing materials markedly improve PID performance, providing enhanced vibration attenuation and less structural stress. The research offers a pragmatic paradigm for enhancing PID design in applications necessitating elevated damping efficiency, mechanical safety, and minimal operational noise.