Elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) is a type of fluid-film lubrication where hydrodynamic behaviors at contact surfaces are affected by both elastic deformation of surfaces and lubricant viscosity. Modelling of contact interfaces under EHL is challenging due to high nonlinearity, complexity, and the multi-disciplinary nature. This paper aims to understand the state of the art of computational modelling of EHL by (1) examining the literature on modeling of contact surfaces under boundary and mixed lubricated conditions, (2) emphasizing the methods on the friction prediction occurring to contact surfaces, and (3) exploring the feasibility of using commercially available software tools (especially, Simulia/Abaqus) to predict the friction and wear at contact surfaces of objects with relative reciprocating motions.

In this paper, the friction behavior at a pin-to-plate interface is investigated. The pin and plate are made of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and steel, respectively, and there is a reciprocating motion at the interface. Governing mathematical models for the relations of design variables and frictions are investigated, and a general procedure is proposed to solve the developed models and predict the friction forces at the interface subjected to given test conditions. Novel models have been developed to represent intrigued friction behaviors affected by various factors such as pin geometrics and finishes, lubrication conditions, and reciprocating speed. The test data from experiments is used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed models.