Stress produced in a solid by cavitation

Abstract

The stresses produced in a solid by cavitation generated in distilled water by 10-, 20-, and 30-kHz vibrations have been determined by a transducer technique. The measured stress pulses are attributed to the concerted collapse of the whole cloud of bubbles created by the pressure changes in the water rather than to the independent effects of individual bubbles. The magnitude and duration of the stress pulses are characteristic of those of a shock wave and can be related directly to the degree and mode of damage which they produce in a solid.