A surface dislocation model of wear

A model of sliding wear, based upon the concept of surface dislocations, has been proposed. In particular, a dislocation cell structure is created in the plastically deformed surface layer, which in turn gives rise to shear crack initiation at the interface between this surface layer and the undeformed interior of the body. These shear cracks then grow with subsequent delamination of the surface layers. It is shown that the most important parameter in this theory is the rate of work hardening of the materials in question.