slidingfrictiondominated

slidingfrictiondominated is a term used in tribology to describe a friction regime in which energy dissipation and resistance to motion at a contact interface are dominated by sliding friction once relative motion between surfaces has commenced. In this regime, friction is typically governed primarily by kinetic (sliding) friction between contacting bodies, rather than static friction that resists initial motion. The distinction is especially relevant for systems that operate in steady sliding, where the interface experiences continual breakage and reformation of microcontacts.

The governing relation is Ff ≈ μk N, where μk is the coefficient of kinetic friction and N is the normal load. In simplified models, μk is treated as approximately constant over a range of velocities, but in real systems it can depend on sliding speed, temperature, lubrication state, surface roughness, wear, and contact area. A slidingfrictiondominated regime implies that other contributions to resistance, such as adhesion, plowing, or deformation-induced friction, are comparatively small.

Applications and implications: Recognizing a slidingfrictiondominated regime helps in predicting steady-state power loss, heat generation, and wear patterns in mechanical components like bearings, brakes, and sliding interfaces. It informs decisions on lubrication strategy, surface finishing, and material selection to manage friction and thermal effects.

See also: friction, static friction, kinetic friction, tribology, wear.