A continuum mechanics framework for wear simulations of sliding surfaces

Wear resulting from sliding motion is a complex physics problem with multiple spatial and temporal scales of interest. The novel model involves solving contact mechanics problems in multiple positions concurrently, followed by an averaging process to calculate the average wear of all asperities in the domain, which effectively mimics the physics of sliding. The model accounts for anisotropic surfaces, including arbitrarily rough surfaces. The novel sliding solution method enables good accuracy, while maintaining computational time at a reasonable level. Results of the model are presented and discussed, with a focus on the further usage of the model. • A novel methodology for continuum-based wear simulations of rough surfaces in sliding motion. • Oscillating and rotating ball-on-disc simulations are performed. • Simple parallelizability of the model. • Good future adaptability to complex contact phenomena (lubrication, tribofilms).