Chapter 9—Impact Wear in the Plastic Stress Range

Abstract

Publisher SummaryThis chapter discusses the impact wear in the plastic stress range. The percussive impact wear study hitherto concentrated on contacts in which the macroscopic stress during repetitive impact stayed in the elastic range. This need not be the general case in industry; in nature, certainly, impact most commonly involves some plastic deformation. The emphasis placed on elasticity was justified, however, for several reasons besides the elastic applications. The optimal wear-path taken by the wearing system coincided with the wear formation allowing fastest relief of the contact stress intensity. Erosion studies of single particles dealt with essentially abrasive-type wear, for the plastic deformations inflicted upon the impacted specimens. This type of wear would also be expected i n repetitively impacted contacts i n the plastic stress range. It is quite common, however, for a contact, starting out in the plastic stress range at the outset of the wear history, to conform sufficiently for it eventually to sustain impacts in the elastic range.