Experimental investigation and stage-dependent numerical analysis of wear behavior of WC coatings under rolling-sliding conditions

Purpose To support the surface wear evaluation of protective coatings on paper dryer, this study aims to characterize the long-term wear behavior of WC coatings and to quantify the wear depth by integrating stage-dependent tribological transitions into an efficient regression model. Design/methodology/approach A twin-roller rolling-sliding wear test was first conducted to investigate the wear evolution of the coating and to determine key tribological parameters, including the stage-dependent friction coefficient and wear rate. Subsequently, a three-dimensional dynamic finite element model was developed based on the experimentally determined parameters and the Archard wear theory to analyze the influence of operating variables on wear behavior. Finally, experimental and numerical results were integrated to establish a multivariate nonlinear regression model for quantitative wear prediction. Findings The results show that the WC coating exhibits a transition from severe mechanical wear to stable mild oxidative wear, and wear depth follows a power-law relationship with increasing service cycles under a constant normal load. The fitted model indicates a negligible sensitivity to sliding velocity. Originality/value This study develops a method for quantifying wear depth by incorporating stage-dependent wear parameters. The proposed approach provides methodological support for the wear assessment of protective coatings on paper dryer, facilitating timely surface maintenance. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-04-2026-0178/