Review of Water-Jet-Assisted Rock Cutting

摘要

High-volume, low-pressure water jets have been employed for erosion of loosely consolidated rocks for centuries. The excavation method finds application in specialized circumstances even today. The use of high-pressure, low-volume water jets for rock cutting is more recent and was made possible by the development of high-pressure water pumps. Despite the benefits often claimed for these systems, high-pressure water jets still have not found widespread application. In the report, the U.S. Bureau of Mines has reviewed the various methods that have been employed using water jets to break rock and has focused on one method, termed jet-assisted cutting, which was determined to be the closest to commercial development. The current state of knowledge based on laboratory and field experiences using the cutting method is reviewed, and possible future developments for the approach to excavation are assessed.