Topology Optimization of Composite Materials for Wear: A Route to Multifunctional Materials for Sliding Interfaces

Tomas Grejtak, Xiu Jia, Florian Feppon, Sam G. Joynson, Annaliese R. Cunniffe, Yupin Shi, David P. Kauffman, Natasha Vermaak, Brandon A. Krick

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Predicting and optimizing the wear performance of tribological systems is of great interest in many mechanical applications. Wear modeling based on elastic foundation models can be used to predict the wear behavior of composite materials. Topology optimization has previously been used to improve the wear performance of a bi-material composite surface without direct experimental validation. In this paper, three multi-material composite wear surfaces are presented and fabricated that are the product of topology optimization. The wear surfaces are designed for optimal wear performance including minimized run-in wear volume lost. In this work, the designs are evaluated with high-accuracy simulations prior to fabrication. Extensive testing is conducted including for wear volume, wear rate, surface height distribution, and profile measurements throughout the wear process. The effects of boundary conditions and the importance of taking wear sliding directionality into account in the modeling process are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1900366
JournalAdvanced Engineering Materials
Volume21
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 2019
Externally publishedYes

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1538125. We also acknowledge support from AFOSR award # FA9550-18-1-0363 (Krick and Grejtak). The authors would like to thank Eli Towne for machining the experimental samples.

Keywords

  • composite design
  • level-set method
  • mechanical design
  • topology optimization
  • tribology
  • wear

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