Deviated Elastohydrodynamic Line Contacts: Prediction Modeling Using Machine Learning

Feile K, Wartzack S, Rothammer B (2026)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Book Volume: 148

Article Number: 102404

Journal Issue: 10

DOI: 10.1115/1.4072244

Abstract

As manufacturing-related surface deviations considerably influence film thickness and pressure distributions in elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) contacts, their incorporation into numerical modeling is crucial. Deviated EHL simulations, however, are computationally demanding and complex. Against this background, this study aims to enable real-time prediction modeling of film thickness as well as pressure parameters in EHL line contacts with underlying surface waviness. To this end, prediction models were developed by means of machine learning approaches, namely artificial neural networks (ANNs) and Gaussian process regression (GPR). Following Latin hypercube sampling, more than 1800 transient EHL simulations, accounting for non-Newtonian lubricant behavior and double-sided deterministic waviness, served as a database for prediction modeling. After hyperparameter optimization, ANN and GPR models revealed comparably high prediction accuracies with adjusted coefficients of determination greater than 0.998 and 0.975 with respect to film thickness and maximum pressure parameters, respectively. The results obtained contribute to the fast and precise consideration of surface waviness in EHL contacts in further research and early phases of product development.

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How to cite

APA:

Feile, K., Wartzack, S., & Rothammer, B. (2026). Deviated Elastohydrodynamic Line Contacts: Prediction Modeling Using Machine Learning. Journal of Tribology, 148(10). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4072244

MLA:

Feile, Klara, Sandro Wartzack, and Benedict Rothammer. "Deviated Elastohydrodynamic Line Contacts: Prediction Modeling Using Machine Learning." Journal of Tribology 148.10 (2026).

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