ABSTRACT: High-pressure waterjets have found a role in the dimension stone industry. First demonstrated over 20 years ago, only recently have waterjets had a significant use in quarrying. Abrasive-laden High-pressure waterjets now cut complex marble and granite inlays for floors and wall decorations. Increased use and reliability suggest that waterjets can be considered as a practical tool for underground excavation..
Most potential applications will use jets for slot cutting at the excavation perimeter excavation (the Odyssey Theater in St Louis) or where a narrow cut is required for specific purposes (cutting sculptures). The design of a cutting lance is constrained when cutting deep slots (greater than 2 m) below 2 cm width. The nozzle must enter the cut, which limits nozzle geometries in which the jets must be accelerated and turned to cut the required width. When these constraints are recognized, waterjets can be used to generate slots of varying geometry.
