Study on the dynamic evolution of friction and wear of polyurethane material for pipeline inspection gauge

The dynamic evolution in friction and wear can lead to interface failure and induce vibrations in pipeline inspection gauge. The friction behavior between polyurethane and X70 steel was evaluated with annular face contact under 0.042 to 0.07 MPa. The temperature increase was recorded using infrared cameras. Dynamic simulations of frictional heat and stress-strain were conducted using Abaqus software. The results indicate that in the initial stages, abrasive wear, stress (1.5 MPa), and frictional temperature rise (65 °C) of PU were observed in the inner-ring region at 0.056 MPa. The surface roughness (3.394 μm) of the PU became comparable to that of the steel ring (3.768 μm) due to abrasive wear. In the later stages, a higher frictional temperature (80 °C) and increased stress (3.8 MPa) were observed in the outer ring. Concurrently, Schallamach waves and ridge-like stripes indicative of stick-slip behavior emerged in the outer ring. The viscoelastic hysteresis effect is the fundamental cause of the dynamic evolution of the friction coefficient and wear. Frictional heat exacerbates the evolution of stick-slip behavior and increases fluctuations in the friction coefficient. The findings of this research can be utilized to analyze the causes of interface failure and vibration in pipeline inspection gauge.