Transient Energy Released by a Tribological Process

This study investigates the relationship between transient energy releases and friction phenomena. We developed a theoretical framework to quantify frictional heating dynamics and transient energy dissipation at sliding interfaces, linking these processes to measurable acoustic emission (AE) waveforms. We identified three distinct AE regimes: (1) 300 kHz signals from micro-crack events, (2) 800 kHz asperity impacts with harmonic frequencies, and (3) broadband stick–slip chirps reflecting friction instabilities. For lubricated contacts, the model demonstrates how viscous damping alters energy release patterns. Key findings reveal that AE frequency content relates with interfacial mechanisms, namely subsurface fracture, elastic asperity collisions, and velocity-dependent friction transitions.