Investigating the influence of sand particle properties on abrasive wear behaviour

Abrasion by sand particles is an important factor causing excessive wear in machines operating in sandy environments. To prevent such machines from failing, knowledge about the abrasive wear process is required. This work focuses on the relation between abrasive particle properties and the wear they cause. Sand was taken from several locations around the world, with variations in particle size and shape. The wear of DIN St-52 steel samples caused by the particles was investigated by performing dry sand–rubber wheel tests with the varieties of sand. The sand particles were sieved to determine their size range. The particle shape was characterised by making images with a confocal microscope and calculating shape factors. The experimental results show significant differences in wear caused by the sand varieties tested. Traditionally used characterisation parameters like size and shape factor, however, cannot explain these differences. There appears to be a relation between the amount of wear and a combination of the particle properties tested