Effect of surface topography on contact fatigue in mixed lubrication

The paper proposes a rolling/sliding contact fatigue model for machine components in mixed lubrication undergoing cyclic loading. The model consists of two distinct components. The first is a full-scale mixed lubrication analysis of interacting rough surfaces, during which surface pressure distribution is calculated. The second is the computation of subsurface stresses and determination of fatigue life using the Zaretsky fatigue model. Numerical examples are presented for a variety of surfaces with different finishes. The model predictions confirm that surface roughness and texture have a significant impact on fatigue life.