Ice as an abrasive: Effects of particle properties and workpiece material on erosion

Vinetič, Suzana (author), Jerman, Marko (author), Valentinčič, Joško (author)

Ice abrasive waterjet (IAWJ) machining offers a promising alternative to conventional abrasive waterjet technology because ice particles do not leave solid residues on the processed surface. However, the erosive behaviour of ice particles and the influence of their physical properties are still insufficiently understood. In this study, the erosion potential of ice particles was systematically investigated as a function of particle temperature, size, shape, and ice quality. Controlled ice blasting experiments were performed on ductile aluminium and brittle glass workpieces, using angular ice particles produced from distilled and degassed water as well as from tap water, and spherical particles produced from tap water. Three particle size fractions were tested at particle temperatures of −78.5 °C and −196 °C under perpendicular impact conditions. Particle velocities were measured using high-speed imaging combined with particle image velocimetry (PIV). Surface damage was evaluated by analysing the areas of craters generated by individual particle impacts using optical microscopy. The results show that erosion behaviour strongly depends on the interaction between particle properties and the deformation mechanism of the target material. For ductile aluminium, erosion was dominated by micro-ploughing, and the most effective particles were medium-sized angular particles produced from distilled and degassed water. Particle temperature and ice quality had a stronger influence on crater size than particle shape. In contrast, erosion of brittle glass was governed by fracture mechanisms, and the highest erosion potential was observed for the smallest spherical particles, where impact frequency plays a greater role than the energy of individual particles.

• Language: English
• Keywords: ice abrasive waterjet, ice blasting, ice particle erosion, particle impact erosion, erosion mechanisms, ice particle properties
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 17 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 595, art. 206702
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-182213
• UDC: 621.924.9
• ISSN on article: 1873-2577
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2026.206702
• COBISS.SI-ID: 276855555
• Publication date in RUL: 04.05.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Wear
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1873-2577
• COBISS.SI-ID: 23274757

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• Description: A creative commons license that bans commercial use, but the users don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: ledni abrazivni vodni curek, ledeno peskanje, erozija ledenih delcev, udarna erozija delcev, mehanizmi erozije, lastnosti ledenih delcev

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0248
• Name: Inovativni izdelovalni sistemi in procesi