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Course Descriptions
MECH_ENG 446: Advanced Tribology


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Prerequisites

None

Description

Generalized Reynolds equation; thermal, turbulent, inertia, fluid compressibility, and surface roughness effects on sliding bearings; fatigue, scuffing, and wear in elastohydriodynamic contact; plastohydrodynamic lubrication in metal rolling, extrusion, and forging.

Who Takes It

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Surface failure due to rubbing is a critical problem that affects the life and reliability of modern machinery. The knowledge of surface interaction is essential to mechanical and material designs. This course is usually taken by students from Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Material Sciences.

What It's About

Advanced Tribology is a cross-disciplinary course on the basic principles of the science and engineering of tribology. The course focuses on theories of friction, wear, contact and lubrication, approaches to model basic tribological elements/systems, and methods to simulate tribological processes.

It Includes

surface
  • Learning how to describe friction and wear
  • Understanding theories of contact and lubrication
  • Studying the approaches and methods for modeling and simulation

The approach of the course is to integrate theories with student research. Research projects that combine the course contents with student expertise will be assigned.

Lectures

  • Fundamentals of lubrication
  • Engineering surface analysis
  • Contact of engineering surfaces
  • Lubrication problemsd
  • Failure in tribological interfaces
  • Micro-nanoscope understanding of tribological interfaces

Textbook

Reference books

Tribology, Principles and Design Applications, by Arnell et al.Principles and 
Applications of Tribology, by B. Bhushan
Tribology Handbook, by B. Bhushan
Fluid Film Lubrication, By B. Hamrock

Contact

Professor: Q. Jane Wang
Email: qwang@northwestern.edu