The purpose of the present paper is to study interaction phenomena between an abradable material (M601) and a titanium alloy (TA6V). This interaction which can occur in an aircraft engine when the rotating blade tips rub on the compressor casing, is analysed on an experimental laboratory set-up. Only orthogonal cutting conditions are considered in this preliminary study to monitor the load evolution with velocity. The experimental results obtained for a range of velocities 10 < V < 107 m/s and for a range interaction depth 0.05 < t 1 < 0.5 mm are presented. After analysis of measurements, the mean interaction force increases proportionally to the interaction depth increment. The effects of the contact geometry on the loads, especially the radius of the edge, are investigated. The increase of the radius value for a given interaction depth increases the load value.
This work provides new basic data for behaviour laws introduced in numerical models simulating the interaction between the blade tip and the compressor casing in turbine engine applications. Original high-speed photographs recorded in real time during the process illustrate the chip separation by brittle manner. A temperature field in the abradable material will be able to be obtained for only a low speed of 5 m/s.