Wear is defined as the removal of material from the surface of an object through
contact with another surface. Thompson et al have classified wear into two major
categories: wear due to mechanical interaction and due to chemical reaction.
Wear due to mechanical interaction is again subdivided into five major types:
W = K x S x P
Where W is the worn volume, S is the sliding distance, P is the applied force and
K is the Archard Constant expressed as worn volume per unit length per unit
sliding distance.
The following are the ranges of K corresponding to different mechanisms:
Fretting Wear: K = 10-6 to 10-4
Abrasive Wear: K =10-2 to 10-1
Adhesive Wear: K = 10-4
Delamination Wear and Wear due to Plowing: K = 10-4