Abrasion of mild steel in wet and dry conditions with the rubber and steel wheel abrasion apparatus

Abstract

Abrasion behaviour with a rotating wheel-type apparatus has been examined with angular alumina and rounded silica abrasives as a function of test conditions, namely wheel-type (rubber wheel or steel wheel) and environment (dry or wet conditions). Water tends to lubricate the contact between the particles and the testpiece, especially with small and/or rounded particles and thus the wear rate is reduced. With larger particles, the presence of water still affects wear, in that two-body abrasion may be favoured, cutting enhanced and particle embedment reduced. The steel wheel tends to produce more fragmentation of abrasives, but in the wet environment, this is reduced as the lubricated contact with the testpiece results in lower stresses in the particles. The role of water has been shown to be significant in both the rubber and steel wheel tests and affects particle motion and particle fragmentation (depending on particle type, shape and size) and, thus, has a strong effect on wear rates and mechanisms observed. The conditions employed in a test used to simulate service conditions must be carefully chosen so as to mimic the latter conditions as closely as possible and the environment (wet or dry) is a significant parameter that must be considered.