This has been a major research interest of ours for about 40 years. We have studied liquid impact, solid particle impact and cavitation erosion. The emphasis has always been to understand the basic impact processes and the mechanisms of material removal. We have developed several new techniques (for example, the liquid jet approach in which the specimen is stationary, controlled 2-D and 3-D impacts using gels, pressure measuring techniques etc.). We have developed a multiple impact jet apparatus (MIJA) which allows laboratory studies of multiple impact rain erosion and steam turbine erosion. We have a facility for studying solid particle erosion and several gas guns for ballistic studies. The way single and multiple arrays of cavities collapse has been studied in detail. High-speed photography has played an important role in these studies. Recent research has concentrated on the solid particle erosion of diamond (for the mining industry) and liquid jet impact damage to natural and artificial composites.
For more information, see:
2000 Jilbert G.H. & Field J.E. "Synergistic effects of rain and sand erosion", Wear 243 6-17
1999 Field J.E. "Liquid impact: Theory, experiment, applications" Wear 233 1-12
1999 Telling R.H. & Field J.E. "Fracture and erosion of diamond", Diamond Related Mater. 8 850-854
1994 Field J.E. "Experimental studies of bubble collapse" in "Bubble Dynamics and Interface Phemonena" ed. J.R. Blake, J.M. Boulton-Stone & N.H. Thomas", pp. 17-31, publ. Kluwer, Dordrecht.