THEORY OF LIFLE PREDICTION OF A VISCOELASTIC LUBRICATING SURFACE-FILM

A solid lubricating surface film is modeled as a general linear viscoe lastic material. The appropriate governing equations are solved for th e displacement of such a thin film under repeated loadings. The predic ted transient motion of the surface is monitored. The gradual diminuti on of the lubricant film thickness under repeated loadings is consider ed film wear. The failure of solid lubricating film occurs when the ex isting thickness is to the same order of magnitude as the substrate su rface roughness.