Studying the Possibility of Damage to a Polymer Protective Compound on Abrasives for Underwater Waterjet Cutting

This article presents the results of a theoretical assessment of the potential for damage to a polymer protective compound on an abrasive for underwater waterjet cutting. The calculation is based on the Barenblatt crack model, which assumes the closure of crack faces in the brittle material of the abrasive shell at acute angles. The study considers a special case in which microcracks are spaced widely apart, their sizes are small compared to the distance between them, and the volume of the surface layer material is much smaller than the crack volume. The stress–strain state of the material around the damage site of the abrasive particle›s shell (protective compound), as well as the interaction between the crack faces, are described using a nonlocal elastic material model. Analysis of the theoretical calculation results revealed that, in a solid abrasive particle shell, the presence of a discontinuity under the influence of internal interparticle interactions, which exist due to the stability of the shell due to mutual intermolecular attraction, is energetically favorable. It is noted that initial damage to the abrasive shell can develop under the influence of an aqueous medium. Due to the filling of coating defects with water, the shell delaminates from the grain under external mechanical stresses signify cantly lower than expected. The obtained results will help ensure the integrity of the polymer protector compound on the abrasive for underwater waterjet cutting for various technological applications, including servicing hazardous facilities, rescue operations, and mining.