Modelling of raindrop-sand particle collisions using the discrete element method

In order to investigate the mechanical mechanism of the interaction between individual raindrops and soil particles, by assuming that raindrops are soft solid materials, the discrete element method was used to simulate and calculate the kinetic energy share of sand particles in the raindrop-sand particle collision process, which is affected by the changes of Young′s modulus, poisson′s ratio and contact angle. The results show that the calculated kinetic energy shares of sand grains are in the range of 0.1%~10%, which are basically consistent with the experimental observations; and that kinetic energy shares of sand grains are more sensitive to the variations of Young′s modulus and contact angle, but insensitive to poisson′s ratio.