Course description

Embark on an immersive four-day journey with the "Contact Mechanics & Elements of Tribology" course, 11th edition, scheduled from February 24-27, 2026. This intensive program begins with exploring Mechanical Contact, delving into the integration of the Flamant solution and examining stress fields induced by frictional sliding. As the week progresses, participants will learn about topics such as Contact and Mechanics of Materials, Friction & Adhesion, Surface Roughness, and Computational Contact Mechanics, utilizing both the Finite Element and Boundary Element Methods. Practical sessions accompany each lecture, including hands-on experiences in indentation analysis, characterizing rough contacts, and coding in a toy-FEM environment. We will also touch upon Lubrication and Sealing, solving complex problems using the finite difference method. A written exam will conclude the week.

Keywords: contact, tribology, friction, roughness, computational contact, finite element method, boundary element method, lubrication, sealing, fretting, wear, adhesion, roughness.