Friction and wear model of a heavy loaded sliding pair: Part III. Application to a lubricated plane bearing

Abstract

In the works of Kolmogorov et al. and Kharlamov [V.L. Kolmogorov, V.V. Kharlamov, A.M. Kurilov, Mathematical friction model for heavy-loaded sliding bearings without the use of lubricants, J. Inst. Eng. Aust., Tribology Conference, Brisbane, Australia (1990) 196–201; V.V. Kharlamov, Mathematical model of transition process from liquid friction mode to mixed mode based on an example of heavy-loaded sliding contact, J. Inst. Eng. Aust., Tribology Conference, Brisbane, Australia (1990) 192–195; V.L. Kolmogorov, Friction and wear model for a heavily loaded sliding pair. Part I. Metal damage and fracture model, Wear 194 (1996) 71–79; V.L. Kolmogorov, V.V. Kharlamov, A.M. Kurilov, S.V. Pavlishko, Friction and wear model for a heavily loaded sliding pair. Part II. Application to an unlubricated journal bearing, Wear 197 (1996) 9–16] the mechanism of friction and wear in heavy loaded sliding pairs was discussed in terms of friction contact interaction mechanics as applied to the friction conditions when mechanical interaction prevails. This paper examines the role of lubrication played in mixed friction thus is developing the research of Kolmogorov et al and Kharlamov. It shows that the lubricant placed between the real areas of contact (RAC) can balance some external loads. In the paper, the friction zone is modelled by a two-dimensional non-linear porous medium and the equations of the liquid filtration theory are used for describing lubricant flow, the equations being modified since the rough surfaces forming the “porous medium” displace relative to each other. The lubricant flow model is a new one in the theory of sliding bearings. The work of the model is illustrated in this paper.