Erosion-Wear Resistance of DH32 Steel under Ice Load in Simulated Polar Ice-Breaking Environment

The anti-ice erosion-wear resistance of the DH32 ship steel at different ship speeds under simulated polar ice-breaking environment was investigated on a self-designed and processed testing machine. The weight loss rate of the DH32 steel under different simulated speeds was studied using the weight loss method. The microstructure and 3D surface profile of the DH32 steel after erosion-wear tests were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and white light interference microscopy, respectively. The erosion-wear and corrosion mechanisms of the DH32 steel under different testing conditions were discussed. Results showed that the weight loss rate of the DH32 steel increased with the increase of both the erosion-wear speed and ice-water ratio, and the largest weight loss rate occurred when the simulated speed was 6 knots and the ice/water ratio was 1:2. The erosion-wear mechanism of the DH32 steel under the ice-water environment was dominated by abrasion pits, plowing, furrows, and sliding pits. In addition, the anti-sand erosion-wear resistance of the DH32 steel under sand-water environment at room temperature was examined. It was found that the tests conducted in the sand-water mixture with 43% sand amounted to those conducted in the ice-water mixture with an ice/ratio of 2:1.