Experimental and numerical researches on collision of graphite bricks

Graphite bricks have important applications in high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The core of HTGR is a pebble-bed surrounded by graphite bricks, so vibrations and collisions between graphite bricks caused by external excitation have important influence on structural stability of the core. The experiment is aimed at studying the collisions between two bricks, using linear track test and optics acquisition system to obtain the collision characteristics of graphite bricks. Experimental results show the contact time decreases while the coefficient of restitution rises up with collision speed increasing. The results data are well-distributed and basic rules are credible. In the experiment, the impact surfaces did not make contact at the same time, as the specimens would twirl gently to adjust posture, and perfect flat collision was difficult to achieve. We simulated the collision process by a two-dimensional numerical model which had a small collision angle between the two contact surfaces. The simulation results fit well with experimental data and reveal the main influence factor of the collision characteristics. We have also discussed factors of small collision angle in the experiment, the dispersion degree of the contact time data in different speed ranges and the relationship between the coefficient of restitution and the speed. Discussion on the posture adjustment in a flat collision is an important part in the paper, and the analysis of that is meaningful for the future dynamic simulation of the core structure.