Course detail

Tribology

FSI-ZTRAcad. year: 2026/2027

The subject provides theoretical and practical knowledge regarding processes of friction, lubrication, and wear which take place in machines with essential importance in design, production and maintenance. Attention is paid to students’ overview in the field, understanding of main principles, options for alternative ecological, sustainable solutions, engineering practice, and practical experience from laboratory measurements. The subject follows up and complements content of subjects in the Batchelor’s study in the fields of the mechanics, mechanical engineering and material sciences.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Martin Hartl, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Machine and Industrial Design (ÚK)

Entry knowledge

Knowledge from material sciences, strength of materials, machine design and hydrodynamics.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Conditions for obtaining credit:
- submission of a case study of the tribological system (max. 30 points).
Conditions for obtaining the final exam:
- multiple-choice test (max. 30 points),
- oral exam (max. 40 points),
- points for seminal work (max. 30 points),
- maximum possible points are 100, and final classification is given according to the ECTS scale.

Lectures: attendance is mandatory and checked by the teacher.
Exercises: participation is mandatory and checked by the teacher, with a maximum of two absences.
In the event of a long-term absence, compensation for missed classes is within the subject guarantor's discretion.

Aims

Students who pass the subject will be able to analyze, understand, and solve the primary problems of friction, lubrication, and wear in machine contacts.

  • Knowledge of main principles, calculations, and rules for the design of contacts.
  • Ability to apply gained knowledge in the design and development of new machines and equipment.
  • Knowledge of methodology for selection and tribology testing of material combinations.
  • Ability to solve tribological problems of lubricated or dry contacts, taking sustainability into account.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

STACHOWIAK, G. W. a A. W. BATCHELOR. Engineering tribology. Fourth edition. Oxford: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann, 2014. [cit. 2019-08-30] ISBN 0123970474. [Online] Dostupná z: https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpETE00005/engineering-tribology/engineering-tribology (EN)

Recommended reading

STOLARSKI, T. A. Tribology in machine design. Oxford: Heinemann Newnes, 1990. [cit. 2019-08-30] ISBN 0434918261. [Online] Dostupná z: https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpTMD00001/tribology-in-machine/tribology-in-machine (EN)
SZERI, A. Z. Fluid film lubrication. 2nd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. [cit. 2019-08-30] ISBN 0521898234. [Online] Dostupná z: https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpFFLE000F/fluid-film-lubrication/fluid-film-lubrication (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme N-KSI-P Master's 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

16 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Martin Hartl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • Introduction to tribology, importance a historical development.
  • Tribological system and processes. Principles and regimes of lubrication.
  • Properties of solids and lubricants. Lubricants rheology.
  • Lubricant types. Liquid lubricants and lubricant additives.
  • Green tribology.
  • Greases and solid lubricants.
  • Contact mechanics. Hertzian theory. Measurements of surface topography. Contact between rough surfaces.
  • Hydrodynamic lubrication. Reynolds Equation. Plain bearings. Hydrostatic lubrication.
  • Elastohydrodynamic and mixed lubrication. Numerical modelling. Molecular dynamic simulation.
  • Tribology of the wheel-rail interface.
  • Boundary lubrication and boundary films.
  • Tribology of thin layers, films and coatings. Dry lubrication.
  • Friction, wear and tribotesting.
  • Wear analysis.
  • Tribological analysis of selected machine parts.

Laboratory exercise

16 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Martin Hartl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • Measurement of surface topography.
  • Measurement of fluids viscosity.
  • Measurement of hardness and load capacity of static point contact.
  • Measurement of pressure field in hydrodynamically lubricated contact.
  • Measurement of film thickness distribution in elastohydrodynamic contact.
  • Measurement of Stribeck and traction curves.
  • Measurement of wear rate.
  • Tribology of wheel-rail contact.

Computer-assisted exercise

16 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Martin Hartl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • Viscosity, modelling of rheology and shear stress in lubricants.
  • Hertzian contact problem. Load-carrying capacity of static contact. Contact stiffness.
  • Hydrostatic and hydrodynamic lubrication.
  • Regimes of lubrication, film thickness and film parameter prediction.
  • Real contact area. Flash temperature.
  • Fluid film friction.
  • Wear rate. Coefficient of abrasive wear.
This course was created by the project Akcelerace zelených dovedností a udržitelnosti na VUT v Brně with registration number NPO_VUT_MSMT-2143/2024-5.