Modelisation of particles impact on glass surface by sandblasting

Said Bouzid, Laboratory of Applied Optics, Dept. of Optics and fine Mechanics, University of Sétif & Zitouni Azari, Laboratory of mechanical reliability, University of Metz-ENIM

Erosion by solid particle is a well-known wear phenomenon in glass industry. In recent year, sandblasting has been developed as a process of glass surface damage investigation in regions recognised by the sand winds (solar panels, windshield, window, aeronautics and wear resistance of coating transmitting materials). The mechanism of material removal is studied according to the erosive wear of soda-lime glass by sandblasting simulation. Erosion test and singular impacts are achieved to examine the characteristics development of the glass surface and to elucidate the mechanism of material removal. It has been found that the transition in mechanisms presents in dependence of velocity of sand particles. Indeed, near the impact site two crack systems may arise from the plastic deformation zone. The lateral crack runs almost parallel to the surface, the radial median crack system develops perpendicular to the surface, and determines the failure stress of the eroded glass.

Eroded glass surface have been examined by optical microscopy. The scaling varies strongly with the velocity, the size of sand grains and dependent of the impact angle, it is more important at angle of 90° than 30°. An erosion simulation model has been developed to predict the critical damage of impact with normalised stress of eroded glass as a function of flux velocity of abrasive particle.

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The Authors

Dr. Bouzid Said Lecturer in glass technology University Ferhat Abbas, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Department of Optics and fine Mechanics Works at University Ferhat Abbas, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Department of Optics and fine Mechanics as a lecturer in glass technology. His main research interest is characterisation of glass. ... Read more