Tutorial Questions 2025/2026 Academic Year
The Copperbelt University
School of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Question One
At the newly opened manufacturing plant in Kitwe, the adhesion between the steel rod and the tungsten
carbide die was observed to be extremely high. As a tribology expert, you strongly advise that steel wire
production must never take place without adequate lubrication. Unfortunately, the lubricant pump, which
supplies the essential lubrication, malfunctioned, and the operator failed to notice this. As a result,
production had to be halted due to frequent wire breakage and excessive wear on the tungsten carbide die.
a) From a friction point of view, why is a steel die not the best alternative to a tungsten carbide die?
b) Briefly explain how adhesive friction occurs between the steel rod and the tungsten carbide die.
c) The shear strength of steel is measured at τ = 175 MPa, and the experimentally observed Coulomb
coefficient of friction is µ = 1.5. Using this information, estimate the contact area between the steel
rod and the tungsten carbide that undergoes deformation when a load of 500 N is applied.
Question Two
Fig. 1. Jaw crusher used at Chilanga Cement, Lusaka
Figure 1 above shows a Jaw crusher, a type of primary crusher used in mining and construction to
reduce large materials into smaller pieces using a swing and fixed jaw that crushes rocks and other
materials. The main frame of the crusher is made of welded mild steel plate. The jaws are usually
constructed from cast steel and fitted with replaceable liners, made from manganese steel, or “Ni-
hard,” a Ni-Cr alloyed cast iron. There are two major wear mechanisms responsible for the wear of the
jaws.
a) Name the two wear mechanisms responsible for wear of the jaw liners, and briefly discuss how
they manifest.
EM 560/EM 531 – Tribology Tutorial Sheet
b) It has been observed that the toggle plate suffers from fatigue wear, while the eccentric shaft
bearing and the connections between the jaw plates and the crusher suffer from fretting wear.
Briefly discuss how fatigue and fretting wear would arise in this context, and what measures
you would put in place to minimise these wear mechanisms.
Question Three
What is TRIBOLOGY? Explain three broad areas that Tribology is concerned with and name at least two
disciplines that are relevant in each area of study.
Question Four
a) What is Friction? Explain two applications where you would want to enhance friction and two
applications where you would want to minimise or, if possible, avoid friction.
b) What is junction growth? Discuss two ways that can be used to reduce junction growth.
c) Tomlinson’s experimental study provided a relation between the friction coefficient & elastic
properties of material in a tribo-pair. Given that 𝐸𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 210 𝐺𝑃𝑎 2, 𝐺𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 81 𝐺𝑃𝑎 , 𝐸𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑢𝑚 =
70 𝐺𝑃𝑎, 𝐺𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑢𝑚 = 28 𝐺𝑃𝑎 , 𝐸𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑢𝑚 = 120 𝐺𝑃 and 𝐺𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑢𝑚 = 45 𝐺𝑃𝑎, calculate the friction
coefficient between
i. Steel and aluminium
ii. Titanium and aluminium
iii. Steel and titanium
[Link] on the answers in (a), (b) and (c)
Question Five
A mechanic recently overhauled the engine of a Volvo truck, FM 500 and recommended that the owner
change the engine oil after only a quarter of the typical interval between regular oil changes. This early oil
change is a standard precaution following major engine repairs or rebuilds to ensure optimal performance
and longevity. Unfortunately, the vehicle owner failed to follow the recommended oil change schedule and
continued driving the truck. Over time, the owner began to notice a significant decline in engine
performance, including a marked reduction in output power.
a) Explain why the Mechanic insisted that the oil be changed earlier than the normal period.
b) Explain what could have contributed to the loss of engine performance.
Question Six
Surface roughness plays a key role in the lifespan of machines and for aesthetic finishes, including the
preparation of surfaces for painting, etc. Given two surfaces, A and B, with surface A having average
roughness Ra = 0.47 and root mean square roughness R q = 0.75 and surface B having average roughness
Ra = 0.46 and root mean square roughness Rq = 0.84.
(i) From above, state a surface that would be best suited for an application where the aim is to
reduce friction and wear.
(ii) Briefly explain your answer above
(iii) Briefly explain what surface roughness is and how you can measure it.
EM 560/EM 531 – Tribology Tutorial Sheet