Fretting Fatigue and Wear: Experimental Investigations and Numerical Simulation

Recent trends in mechanical engineering are focusing on optimization of components with respect both to weight and lifetime by using numerical simulation even in the early design stages. For a reliable prediction of in service performance by simulation, both loading as well as different damage and failure mechanisms that may be activated during operation have to be known. In mechanical engineering applications, cyclic loadings are most common. In many assemblies of moving components, contact problems under various lubrication conditions are lifetime-limiting. There, relative motion of contacting bodies combined with high loads transmitted via the contact surface lead to fretting fatigue failure.

In this contribution a few selected results of a currently conducted research project are presented. The aim of this study was to examine the material behavior of a surface stressed steel. The influence of the Fretting regime on fatigue properties has been investigated. Plain Fatigue, plain Fretting Wear and Fretting Fatigue experiments have been conducted. The collected data was implemented in a numerical simulation.