Experimental Study on Corrugated Wear of a Sliding Surface Caused by Frictional Self-excited Vibration

A series of experimental tests were conducted on a pin-on-disc tester to study the effect of frictional self-excited vibration on evolution of the scar profile. A laser displacement sensor was used to measure the profile size of the scars. An accelerometer was used to measure vibration of the pin specimen. The test results show that a sustained frictional self-excited vibration easily occurred when a metal specimen rub against another metal specimen under dry friction. When the sliding lasted for a certain time, corrugated wear was generated on the sliding surface of the disc specimen. Fatigue wear was a main wear mechanism of corrugation. The wavelength of corrugated wear was approximately equal to the sliding speed multiplied by the period time of the friction-induced vibration. Therefore, it is concluded that the corrugated wear of disc specimens was attributed to the frictional self-excited vibration occurring in the sliding process.