Abstract
The common engineering applications of rolling contact are reviewed: the wheel, rolling bearings, traction drives, gears and cams. It is shown that increasing the rigidity of the materials and decreasing the conformity of the surfaces reduces the resistance to rolling, but only at the expense of higher contact stress. The principal modes of failure are described: plastic deformation, contact fatigue, wear, scuffing and corrugation. Recent research into plastic deformation and fatigue is discussed. It is concluded that, if wear and scuffing are controlled by adequate lubrication and surface finish, and clean steel is used, the load capacity and life are governed by the nucleation of micro shear cracks through the action of cyclic plastic deformation.

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