Fretting fatigue: A literature review of experimental studies and an overview of modeling approaches
Abstract
Fretting fatigue remains a major life-limiting damage mode in metallic contacts subjected to cyclic normal loading and small-amplitude relative motion. Many factors affect the fretting fatigue behavior of materials including loading condition, contact geometry, slip amplitude, coefficient of friction, and frequency. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of experimental investigations on the fretting fatigue of metallic materials, with particular emphasis on critical variables such as contact pressure, slip amplitude, frequency, surface roughness, coefficient of friction, contact geometry, and environmental conditions. Additionally, the review provides a brief overview of common modeling approaches used in fretting fatigue particularly for predicting crack initiation. The scope of this review and the organization of the manuscript emphasize initiation-based mechanisms and initiation-oriented modeling approaches. This review seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of fretting fatigue, identifying gaps in the existing literature that warrant further exploration and guide future research directions in the field of fretting fatigue.
Publication Title
International Journal of Fatigue
Recommended Citation
Ghadar, S., & Fatemi, A. (2026). Fretting fatigue: A literature review of experimental studies and an overview of modeling approaches. International Journal of Fatigue, 208 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2026.109578
