Computer simulation of solid particle erosion

A micro-scale dynamic model (MSDM) was applied to simulate solid particle erosion. In this model, the target material and solid particles are discretized and mapped onto a square grid or lattice. Each lattice site represents a small volume of the materials. During an erosion process, a lattice site may move under the influence of external force and the interaction between the site and its adjacent sites. The site-site interaction is a function of mechanical properties of the materials. A bond connecting two adjacent sites fails when its strain exceeds a critical value. A site or a cluster of sites will be worn away if all bonds connecting the site or the cluster are broken. Influences of the shape, size, velocity and impact angle of solid particles on erosion were studied. The mechanisms responsible for the erosion behavior of both brittle and ductile materials are discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.