A new original method, applying a coaxial protective airflow, was tested aiming to improve the pure water jet efficiency in surface layer removal or medium hard materials cutting or blasting. The dual action of the air flow is expected: the air co-flowing the water jet with approximately the same velocity should prevent the central jet from breaking up into tiny droplets in the near field, and simultaneously, it should support jet decomposition into big parts with enough destructive potential in the far-field. A brief survey of the relevant literature dealing with the water jet instability is presented, introducing four recognized breakup regimes. An original cutting head designed to generate a waterjet surrounded by protective coaxial air flow is introduced. The submitted device is supposed to operate within the first wind-induced regime. Two types of experiments, consisting of blasting limestone bricks placed either in the air or underwater, were realized. The depths of kerfs produced with different water pressures and air overpressures were evaluated. While no substantial positive effect was recognized in the air performance, the submerged blasting of the same material under similar conditions appeared to be promising.

The paper describes the methodology of measurements in the GTA 20-32 triaxial press. The deformation behaviour of two different types of rocks was compared: - gypsum with plastic deformation even at lower confining pressure, - Carboniferous sandstone with brittle failure even at the highest confining pressure. The influence of gypsum layering was studied as well. The experimental results show that the deformation and strength properties of the gypsum in the triaxial state of stress do not significantly depend on the orientation of axial stress to the observed layering.