Flexural strength of ceramics ground under widely different conditions

This study evaluates the degree of strength degradation for three different ceramic materials ground under widely different conditions. Based on the results of this study, 13 observations are made. In particular, it is found that two different groups of average flexural strength, sigma(f), surface roughness, R-a and effective point of application of the resultant force on the are of wheel-workpiece contact, K, are formed: one for conditions having h(m), a(m) and f(n) smaller than the critical values; and the other for the remaining conditions; where h(m), a(m) and f(n) are the grit depth of cut, the average cross-sectional area of active cutting edges, and the mean normal force per grit, respectively. The results are discussed and compared with those reported by other researchers. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.