TERM-ABRASIVE-WEAR
Abrasive Wear
Contamination Mechanisms
Also: erosive wear · three-body abrasion · two-body abrasion · particle erosion
Canonical Definition
The removal of material from a surface by the cutting or scratching action of hard particles moving relative to that surface. In lubrication and hydraulic systems, abrasive wear occurs when hard particles (silica, iron oxides, wear metals) present in the fluid become trapped between moving surfaces — bearing journals and housings, piston rings and cylinder walls, gear tooth flanks — causing micro-cutting and surface fatigue. Abrasive wear rate is a strong function of particle hardness (relative to the substrate), particle concentration, particle size, and contact stress. Particles in the 2–15 µm range cause maximum abrasive wear because they can enter bearing clearances and load-bearing asperities.
Engineering Context
Abrasive wear is the dominant failure mode in contaminated hydraulic and lubrication systems. A 10× increase in particle concentration accelerates bearing wear by approximately 4–7×. Maintaining ISO 16/14/11 or tighter in lube systems extends bearing life from a typical contamination-limited 3,000–5,000 hours to 15,000–25,000 hours under controlled conditions.
Related Technologies
Protection Systems
Knowledge Center Articles
KC-00 Governance Metadata
| Permanent ID | TERM-ABRASIVE-WEAR |
| Category | Contamination Mechanisms |
| Status | Published |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Last Reviewed | 2026-07-05 |