An experimentally-validated DEM approach to modeling wear in pin-on-disk tribometers.
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| Title: | An experimentally-validated DEM approach to modeling wear in pin-on-disk tribometers. |
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| Authors: | Sameer, Muhammad1 (AUTHOR), Higgs III, C. Fred1 (AUTHOR) higgs@rice.edu |
| Source: | Tribology International. May2026, Vol. 217, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p. |
| Subjects: | Tribology, Discrete element method, Computer simulation, Material erosion, Model validation, Energy dissipation |
| Abstract: | Wear is a critical phenomenon influencing the performance and durability of mechanical systems across a wide range of engineering applications. Traditional wear prediction models, such as Archard's wear law, have been widely employed within continuum-based frameworks like the finite element method (FEM). While effective for certain scenarios, these models often fail to capture discrete material removal and wear debris generation, limiting their applicability to real-world tribological systems. In this study, we developed a discrete element method (DEM) framework to model wear behavior in a pin-on-disk tribometer configuration. The DEM approach enables modeling of discontinuities, material detachment, and wear debris evolution—features not readily addressed by continuum methods. To overcome the computational cost associated with explicit time integration, a wear extrapolation algorithm is used that allows for accelerated simulations. The large amount of extrapolated wear calculated for a particle subjected to wear is distributed among the neighboring bonded particles using a numerical distribution algorithm while preserving the physics of wear. The simulation results are validated against experimental data by introducing a calibration factor to align model outputs with experimentally observed wear scars on a hemispherical pin. The framework demonstrates strong agreement with experimental results, highlighting its potential for studying complex tribological systems while accounting for discrete wear phenomena. Notably, this study presents a unique, experimentally validated DEM framework for the pin-on-disk tribometer, explicitly accounting for particle wear and debris formation. • Particle-scale wear mechanisms in a pin-on-disk tribometer are resolved using DEM. • The approach captures realistic wear scar growth on a hemispherical pin under dry sliding. • Discrete material removal and wear debris generation are explicitly reproduced. • An efficient extrapolation strategy enables prediction of long-term wear evolution. • Simulated wear scar geometry and wear volume agree quantitatively with experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Engineering Source |
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