This paper employs the method for evaluating abrasion proposed by Golovanevskiy e Bearman (2008). This method, Gouging Abrasion Test, employs high-stress load gouging/sliding impact wear. The method consists of a steel wear tool with a 90º sharp conical tip. This tip attacks a rock sample in a swinging trajectory with an impact energy of 300 J and a speed of around 5.2 m/s. The Gouging Abrasion Index (Gi) is determined as 10 times the average diameter in millimeters of the conical tip (now flat) after one event of wear. This paper evaluates the Gouging Abrasion Test suitability in a small group of rocks that represents some of the main types to be found in Brazil´s rock cutting, drilling and crushing works. Its relationship to other usual tests like uniaxial compressive strength, Amsler abrasive wear and Knoop hardness were also verified. The results show high correlation between Gi and Knoop hardness (R² = 0,94), low correlation with Amlser wear (R² = 0,41) and no relation to uniaxial compressive strength.
Rock Mechanics; abrasion; gouging abrasion
