Finite Element Approach to Modeling Abrasive Wear Modes

Machine components operating in sandy environments will wear because of the abrasive interaction with sand particles. In this work, a method is derived to predict the amount of wear caused by such abrasive action, in order to improve the maintenance concept of the components. A finite element model is used to simulate various tips scratching a...

Abrasive wear based predictive maintenance for systems operating in sandy conditions

Machines operating in sandy environments are damaged by the abrasive action of sand particles that enter the machine and become entrapped between components and contacting surfaces. In the case of the military services the combination of a sandy environment and the wide range of tasks to be fulfilled results in extreme and uncertain operating...

The role of the skin microrelief in the contact behaviour of human skin: Contact between the human finger and regular surface textures

The friction behaviour of the human fingerpad as a function of asperity geometry was investigated experimentally. Surface textures consisting of evenly distributed spherically tipped asperities were used for in vivo testing. Using analytical expressions, a multi-scale model was developed to explain the observed friction behaviour as a function...

Relating friction on the human skin to the hydration and temperature of the skin

The human skin is constantly in interaction with materials and products. Therefore, skin friction is relevant to all people. In the literature, the frictional properties of the skin have been linked to a large variety of variables, like age, gender and hydration. The present study compares the data of 450 skin friction measurements with the skin...

The influence of abrasive body dimensions on single asperity wear

This work focuses on the relation between the properties of abrasive bodies and the wear they cause. By performing single asperity scratch tests to simulate abrasive wear, the wear process takes place in a controlled environment, allowing the properties of the abrasive body to be isolated and studied independently. The setup used is a pin-on...

Variables influencing the frictional behaviour of in vivo human skin

In the past decades, skin friction research has focused on determining which variables are important to affect the frictional behaviour of in vivo human skin. Until now, there is still limited knowledge on these variables.This study has used a large dataset to identify the effect of variables on the human skin, subject characteristics and...

A multivariable model for predicting the frictional behaviour and hydration of the human skin

Background: The frictional characteristics of skin-object interactions are important when handling objects, in the assessment of perception and comfort of products and materials and in the origins and prevention of skin injuries. In this study, based on statistical methods, a quantitative model is developed that describes the friction behaviour...

Skin tribology: Science friction?

The application of tribological knowledge is not just restricted to optimizing mechanical and chemical engineering problems. In fact, effective solutions to friction and wear related questions can be found in our everyday life. An important part is related to skin tribology, as the human skin is frequently one of the interacting surfaces in...

An experimental study on the relation between surface texture and tactile friction

The main obstacle to calculate the 'feel' of a product from its surface properties is the ill-defined surface topography that is encountered after the most surface finishing processes. In this work this obstacle was avoided by producing well-defined surface topographies by laser texturing. The friction of textures having surface features with...

A mechanistic approach to predicting the friction behaviour of human skin

In this work, analytical models available from contact mechanics theory having a proven record in mechanical engineering were used to develop a model predicting the friction behavior of human skin. A multi-scale contact model was developed in which the contact parameters are calculated at three levels, each level characterized by its elastic...

Investigating the influence of sand particle properties on abrasive wear behaviour

Abrasion by sand particles is an important factor causing excessive wear in machines operating in sandy environments. To prevent such machines from failing, knowledge about the abrasive wear process is required. This work focuses on the relation between abrasive particle properties and the wear they cause. Sand was taken from several locations...