Low degree of freedom approach for predicting friction in elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts

A low degree of freedom, semi-analytical model for rapid estimation of the friction coefficient in elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts was developed and tested. Its estimates are based on the shear rate dependent Carreau equation for the apparent viscosity, together with the hydrodynamic pressure and the temperature of the lubricant. To validate the approach, the model's predictions were compared to experimental coefficient of friction measurements acquired using a ball-on-disc test device at various applied loads, entrainment velocities, and slide to roll ratios. The model's predictions were in good agreement with the experimental results, showing that it is suitable for use in multibody dynamics analyses where rapid computation of elastohydrodynamic friction is required to minimize computing time and resource consumption. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.