Numerical and experimental investigations of particle embedment during the incubation period in the solid particle erosion of ductile materials

During solid particle erosion, a transient incubation period can occur due in part to particle embedment into the target. This paper presents a novel three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics model of the impact and embedding of successive bursts of 362 μm angular SiC abrasives onto a 6061-T6 aluminum target. The predicted embedment agreed well with measured values from abrasive blasting experiments. Approximately 20% of the particles launched in the first two bursts embedded, but as incoming particles removed previously embedded ones, embedment decreased to a steady-state 8% after 6 bursts. The model has applications for predicting the embedment occurring during abrasive jet machining using multiple nozzle passes, and sheds light on embedment mechanisms during the incubation period of solid particle erosion.