THE SLIDING HERTZIAN POINT CONTACT IN TRIBOTESTING - UNDERSTANDING ITS LIMITATIONS AS A MODEL OF REAL SYSTEMS
The sliding hertzian point contact is widely used as a standard, lubricated, test configuration. However, little effort has been devoted to investigating the morphology of the sliding hertzian point contact or analysing the wear or failure mechanisms generated. This presentation examines these issues and offers explanations as to why the sliding hertzian point contact is less sensitive to additive concentration than the sliding line contact. It discusses the fundamental limitations of the sliding hertzian point contact as a model of any real system and demonstrates the advantages of alternative configurations.