Evolution of fracture and wear during asperities engagement under non-adhesive condition

Abstract A finite element model is established for the interaction of two asperities to simulate the condition of non-adhesive effect during sliding. The fracture evolution is captured by applying material failure criterion, which enables the wear particle formation. To exclusively investigate the contact without adhesive, the interface is defined as frictionless, removing all tangential forces at the interface. The contact and wear particle formation process due to the pure mechanical engagement is investigated, revealing two primary interaction modes: plastic deformation and wear, with the latter further classified into fracture-related mechanisms. By summarizing and comparing existing literature on “adhesive wear” that often addresses asperity interaction with adhesive, the contribution of the pure mechanical engagement on asperity interaction is highlighted.