Abstract Deviations from pure rolling, such as Heathcote slip and spin slip, are inherent to rolling element bearing contacts and contribute to frictional losses and, under mixed and boundary lubrication, to wear. While normal elastic deformations are routinely considered, tangential elastic compliance is typically neglected. However, tangential elasticity alters the local slip distribution within the contact and may significantly affect energy dissipation and wear, particularly under elevated tangential stresses. In this work, the influence of tangential solid-body elasticity on lubricated rolling with slip is investigated using a numerical framework based on Kalker's theory. The model captures coupled normal and tangential contact mechanics and enables a detailed analysis of local creepage and traction behavior. The results demonstrate that tangential compliance leads to an altered distribution of slip within the contact area, modifying both the magnitude and spatial characteristics of energy dissipation. These effects become increasingly pronounced under conditions representative of boundary and mixed lubrication or high contact pressures. The findings highlight the importance of accounting for tangential elastic effects in rolling contact modeling and provide new insights into the mechanisms governing frictional losses and wear in bearing applications.
Kelley et al. (Wed,) studied this question.