Nicely put. +10 Internet Points for the concise and informative description.
Things I’d definitely try out:
- CCD on the simulated root
- up the solvers:
- make a chamfered mesh the root (instead of the box collision), open it in the editor, remove collision and add 18DOP:
This will result in a nicely bevelled simplified (green lines) collision that does not snag. fingers crossed
Do tell if any of this helps at all!