Abstract
The aim of this paper is to examine plastic strain distributions around the indentations and to consider the mechanisms of erosion damage caused by solid particle impact. Measurements of principal shearing strain distributions around indentations were performed on surfaces for aluminium, iron and cast iron at impact angles from 20 to 90 degrees at impact velocities from 50 to 200ms-1. A WC ball or an angular SiC particle of 3mm in diameter was used to obtain the effect of particle shape on plastic strain. It was found that the coincidence of the impact angle dependence was roughly recognized between the maximum principal shearing strain and erosion damage. Measurements of volume ratios of lips to craters proved that material removal did not occur by single particle impact of a WC ball, while occurred at low angle impact of a SiC particle. The surface topography of the impact craters suggested that depth, surface area and volume of indentation are affected by the particle density and the hardness of both a particle and a target material. It is concluded that the origin of erosion is probably attributed by the high plastic strain and by the cutting action caused by the particle impact.
