Mild wear maps for boundary lubricated contacts

In this study a model capable of predicting a mild wear map for boundary lubricated contacts is presented and validated using model experiments. Both the transition from mild to severe wear as mild wear itself is modeled. The criterion for the transition from mild to severe wear is a thermal one. The mild wear model is based on the hypothesis that for an additive to protect the surface against severe wear a sacrificial chemical layer should be present at the surface. During the mild wear process the mechanical properties of this layer play a dominant role in the magnitude of the amount of wear. The model is validated using different model experiments showing the influence of the different parameters within the model.

► As a first the mechanical and chemical properties of the protective boundary layer are used to model wear.
► The model includes the effect of temperature and pressure on the mechanical properties of the boundary layers.
► The model provides a complete wear map including the transition from mild to severe wear.