MODELING OF SEVERE WEAR - A SURVEY OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE TECHNICAL-UNIVERSITY-OF-ZITTAU TO TRIBOLOGY

In the years from 1974 to 1999 members of the Technical University of Zittau investigated problems of analytical modelling in the field of t ribology. Most of the questions and suggestions came from difficulties in the practice of technology. Therefore the application of general k nowledge to different concrete situations was adopted as the governing principle for this research. Thus modelling and generalizing became t he favoured means of investigation. First of all erosive blasting wear became of interest because damage in coal and energy plants were stud ied. Later on sliding wear developed as a phenomenon which could be de scribed by stochastic fields surprisingly well. One-, two- and three-b ody abrasive wear patterns were handled. Also the effect of lubricatio n on mechanical contacts was included in this study. Eventually drople t impact erosion and erosion by cavitation were objects of investigati on, the former because of its appearance in the last stages of steam t urbines, and the latter because of similarities to droplet impact.