ABSTRACT
A surface pair under contact and relative motion with or without lubrication forms a tribological interface. Such an interface is found in nearly all types of machines. Contact and relative motion of surfaces make friction and wear inevitable. Theories of contact and lubrication are essential to understanding phenomena related to friction and wear and to developing energy-ef‘cient, robust tribological interfaces. This chapter presents an overview of the fundamentals of contact and lubrication theories together with examples of recent progress in lubrication theory inspired by advances in contact simulation. Challenges and opportunities are also brie¤y discussed.
