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Abrasion The grinding away of bedrock by fragments of rock which may be incorporated in ice (glacial abrasion), water (marine abrasion, fluvial abrasion), or wind (aeolian abrasion). In 'fluvial environments, the main agent of abrasion is the *bed load. The mass of solid material removed varies with the size, density, and velocity of the particles, and the density of the 'vector bearing these particles. Ice ceases to be an effective agent for abrasion when the weight of the ice is thick enough to bring about *plastic flow. Abrasion is an alternative term for *corrasion. See STRIATIONS.