Osborne Reynolds' concept of fluid-film lubrication revealed one hundred years ago played a major role in the design and development of machinery in our technological age. This year marks the centenary of the publication of the most significant paper ever written in the field of tribology.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ReynoldsO.On the theory of lubrication and its application to Mr. Beauchamp Tower's experiments, including an experimental determination of the viscosity of olive oil. Phil. Trans. R. Soc., 1886, 177, 157–234.
2.
DowsonD.Lubricants and lubrication in the nineteenth century. Joint Instn Mech. Engrs./Newcomen Society Lecture, 1974,8.
3.
BarransJ.On an improved axle box for railway engines and carriages. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1851, 30–35; 23 April 3–8.
4.
CraigW. G.On an improved axle box and spring fittings for railway carriages. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1855, 182–191.
5.
HodgeP. R.On a new self-lubricating axle box for railway engines and carriages, and a self-acting spring crossing point. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1852, 213–222.
6.
AdamsW. B.On railway axle lubrication. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs.1853, 57–65.
7.
WoodN.A practical treatise on rail-roads, and interior communications in general, 1838 (Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans, London).
8.
MacCurdyE.The notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, two vols. 1938 (Jonathan Cape, London).
9.
RetiL.Leonardo on bearings and gears. Sci. Am., 1971, 224(2), 101–110.
10.
AmontonsG.De la resistance caus'ee dans les machines. Mémoires de l'Académie Royale, 1706, A, 257–282.
11.
DesaguliersJ. T.A course of experimental philosophy, 1734, two vols. (London).
12.
Kotel'nikovS. K.A book containing instruction on the equilibrium and movement of bodies. 1774 (St. Petersburg).
13.
CoulombC. A.Théorie des machines simples, en ayant égard au frottement de leurs parties, et a la roideur des cordages. Mém. Math. Phys., 1785, 161–342(Paris).
14.
DowsonD.History of tribology, 1979 (Longman, London).
LeslieJ.An experimental inquiry into the nature and propagation and heat, 1804 (Bell and Bradfute, Edinburgh).
17.
RennieG.Experiments on the friction and abrasion of the surfaces of solids. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., 1829, 34, Part 1, 143–170.
18.
HirnG.Sur les principaux phénomènes qui présentent les frottements médiats. Bull Soc., ind. Mulhouse, 1854, 26, 188–277.
19.
ThurstonR. H.A treatise on friction and lost work in machinery and millwork, 1885 (Wiley, New York).
20.
PetrovN. P.Friction in machines and the effect of the lubricant. Inzh. Zh., 1883, 1, 71–140; 2, 227–279; 3, 377–436; 4, 535–564 (St. Petersburg).
21.
TowerB.First report on friction experiments (friction of lubricated bearings). Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, Nov. 1883, 632–659, (see also adjourned discussion, Jan. 1884, 29–35).
22.
CameronA.The principles of lubrication, 1966 (Longman, London).
23.
TowerB.Second report on friction experiments (experiments on the oil pressure in a bearing). Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, Jan. 1885, 58–70.
24.
DowsonD.One hundred years of lubrication (1883–1983)—the experimental studies of Nicolai Pavlovitch Petrov (1883) and Beauchamp Tower (1883) with a brief introduction to the analytical studies of Osborne Reynolds (1886). In Fluid film lubrication: a century of progress (RohdeS. M.) 1983, 1–51(ASME, New York).
25.
AllenJ.The life and work of Osborne Reynolds. In Osborne Reynolds and engineering science today (McDowellD. M.JacksonJ. D.) 1970 (Manchester University Press).
26.
McDowellD. M.JacksonJ. D.Osborne Reynolds and engineering science today, 1970 (Manchester University Press).
27.
FiddesE.Some teachers at Owens College. J. Univ. Manchester, 1937, 1 (1).
28.
ReynoldsO. Papers on mechanical and physical subjects, Collected Works: I, 1900; II, 1901; III, 1903.
29.
LambH.Osborne Reynolds, 1842–1912. (Obituary Notices of Fellows Deceased) Proc. Roy. Soc., 1913, A lxxxviii, xv–xxi.
30.
Obituary notice on O. Reynolds. Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs, 1913, exci, 314.
31.
DowsonD.Men of tribology 9—Osborne Reynolds, 1842–1912. Trans. ASME, J. Lubric. Technol., 1978, 101(1), 1–3.
32.
ReynoldsO.On the action of lubricants; On the friction of journals. Report of the fifty-fourth meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Montreal, 1884, 662, 895 (John Murray, London).
33.
What is friction? The Engineer, 22 Feb. 1884, lvii, 149–50.
34.
CameronA.Osborne Reynolds. Proceedings of the thirteenth (1986) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Fluid-film lubrication—Osborne Reynolds centenary 1886–1986 (Elsevier, to be published).
35.
The British Association: List of hosts and guests. Gazette Montreal, 26 Aug. 1884.
36.
Science! Section A—mathematical and physical science; first day—afternoon. Montreal Daily Star, Friday 29 Aug. 1884, XVI (204).
37.
Montreal Daily Witness, 3 Sept. 1884.
38.
StefanJ.Versuche Über die scheinbare Adhäsion. Sber. Acad. Wiss. (Math-Naturus), 1874, 69, Part 2, 713–735(Wien).
39.
GümbelL.Verleich der Ergebnisse der rechnerischen Behandlung des Lagerschmierungsproblem mit neueren Versuchsergebnissen. Mbl. Berl. Bez. (VDI), Sept. 1921, 125–128.
40.
SwiftH. W.The stability of lubricating films in journal bearings. Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs, 1932, 233, (32), 267–288; discussion, 289–322.
41.
StieberW.Das Schwimmlager, 1933 (Krayn, Berlin).
42.
RohdeS. M.Fluid film lubrication: a century of progress, 1983 (ASME, New York).
43.
PinkusO.The Reynolds centennial: a brief history of the theory of hydrodynamic lubrication. ASME/ASLE Tribology Conference, Oct. 1986 (to be published).
44.
MichellA. G. M.The lubrication of plane surfaces. Z. Math. Phys., 1905 (52) Part 2, 123–137.
45.
MichellA. G. M.Improvements in thrust and like bearings, 1905, British Patent 875.
46.
KinsburyA.Thrust bearings, 1910, US Patent 947242.
47.
SimmonsJ. E. L.AdvaniS. D.Michell and the development of tilting pad bearings, Proceedings of the thirteenth (1986) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Fluid film lubrication: Oshorne Reynolds centenary, 1886–1986 (Elsevier, to be published).
48.
Calculation methods for steadily loaded tilting-pad thrust bearings, Engineering Sciences Data Unit, 1975, Item 75023 (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London).
DowsonD.HudsonJ. D.Thermo-hydrodynamic analysis of the infinite slider bearing, II. The parallel surface bearing. Proceedings of the Lubrication and Wear Group Convention, 1964, 45–51(Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London).
51.
FoggA.Fluid film lubrication of parallel surface thrust surfaces. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1946, 155, 49–67.
52.
NealP. B.Influence of film inlet conditions on the performance of fluid-film bearings. J. Mech. Engng Sci., 1970, 12 (2), 153.
53.
SwiftH. W.Discussion on Fogg's paper on fluid-film lubrication of parallel surface thrust surfaces. Proc. Instn. Mech. Engrs, 1946, 155, 58
54.
CameronA.New theory for parallel surface thrust bearing. Engineering, Lond., 1960, 190, 194
55.
NealP. B.WallisJ. F.DuncanJ. P.A university's research for industry. Engineering, Lond., 1961, 191, 434
56.
BlokH.Les températures de surface dans des conditions de graissage sous pression extrème. Proceedings of the Second World Petroleum Congress, 1937, Sect. 4, 151–182(Paris).
57.
BlokH.Theoretical study of temperature rise at surfaces of actual contact under oiliness lubricating conditions. Proceedings of the General Discussion on Lubrication and Lubricants, 1937, 2, 222–235 (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London).
58.
SwiftH.Fluctuating loads in sleeve bearings. J. Int. Civ. Engrs., 1937, 5, 161–195.
59.
ShawM. C.MacksF.Analysis and lubrication of bearings, 1949 (McGraw Hill, New York).
60.
BookerJ. F.Dynamically loaded journal bearings—mobility method of solution. Trans. ASME, J. Basic Engng, 1965, D187, 537
61.
BlokH.The impulse capacity as a design criterion for full journal bearings under severe dynamic duty, 1973, WTHD 45 (Technische Hogeschool, Delft).
62.
CampbellJ.LoveP. P.MartinF. A.RafiqueS. O.Bearings for reciprocating machinery: A review of the present state of theoretical, experimental and service knowledge, Conference on Lubrication and Wear: Fundamentals and Application to Design, Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1967–1968, 182, Part 3A, 51–74.
63.
MartinF. A.Developments in engine bearings. Proceedings of the Ninth (1982) Leeds—Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Tribology of Reciprocating Engines, 1983, 7–28(Butterworth, Guildford).
64.
RayleighLordOn the pressure developed in a liquid during the collapse of a spherical cavity. Phil. Mag., sixth series, 1917, 34, 94
65.
ColeJ. A.HughesC. J.Oil flow and film extent in complete journal bearings. The Engineer, 1956, 201, 255–263.
66.
SmithE. H.A study of film-rupture in hydrodynamic lubrication. PhD thesis, University of Leeds, 1975.
FlobergL.Cavitation boundary conditions with regard to the number of streamers and tensile strength of liquid. Proceedings of the first (1974) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Cavitation and related phenomena in lubrication, 1975, 31–35(Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
69.
CoyneJ. C.ElrodH. G.Conditions for the rupture of a lubricating film Part I. theoretical model. Trans. ASME, J. Lubric. Technol., 1970, 92 (F3), 451.
70.
ElrodH. G.AdamsM. L.A computer program for cavitation and starvation problems. Proceedings of the first (1974) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Cavitation and related phenomena in lubrication, 1975, 37–41(Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
71.
DowsonD.TaylorC. M.Cavitation in bearings. Ann. Rev. Fluid. Mech., 1979, 11, 35–66.
72.
LebeckA. O.A study of mixed lubrication in contacting mechanical face seals. Proceedings of the Fourth (1977) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Surface roughness effects in lubrication, 1978, 46–56(Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
73.
MilneA. A.Variations of film extent in dynamically loaded bearings. Proceedings of the First (1974) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Cavitation and related phenomena in lubrication, 1975, 79–90(Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
Van der BerghH.DowsonD.FallC.SavageM. D.SmithE. H.TaylorC. M.Current research work on cavitation at Leeds University. Proceedings of the First (1974) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Cavitation and related phenomena in lubrication, 1975, 235–237(Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
76.
MichellA. G. M.Lubrication—its principles and practice, 1950 (Blackie and Son, Glasgow).
77.
SalamaM. E.The effect of macro-roughness on the performance of parallel thrust bearings. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1950, 162, 149
78.
BurtonR. A.Effects of two-dimensional, sinusoidal roughness on the load support characteristics of a lubricant film. Trans. ASME, J. Basic Engng, Series D, 1963, 84, 258–264.
79.
DowsonD.WholmesT. L.The effect of surface roughness upon the lubrication of rigid cylindrical rollers, I—Theoretical. Wear, 1971, 18, 129–150.
TzengS. T.SaibelE.On the effects of surface roughness in the hydrodynamic lubrication theory of a short journal bearing. Wear, 1967, 10, 179–184.
82.
ChristensenH.Stochastic models for hydrodynamic lubrication of rough surfaces. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1970, 184, Part 1 (55), 1013–1022.
83.
ChristensenH.TonderK.The hydrodynamic lubrication of rough bearing surfaces of finite width. Trans. ASME, J. Lubric. Technol., 1971, 324–330.
84.
BertheD.GodetM.Equation de l'écoulement laminaire entre deux parois rapprochées en mouvement relatif. C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Series A., 1971, t272, 1010–1013.
85.
ChowL. S. H.ChengH. S.The effect of surface roughness on the average film thickness between lubricated rollers. Trans. ASME, J. Lubric. Technol., Series F, 1976, 98, 117–124.
86.
RhowS. K.ElrodH. G.The effects on bearing load-carrying capacity of two-sided striated roughness. Trans. ASME, J. Lubric. Technol., 1974, 96(4), 554–560; 640.
87.
PatirN.ChengH. S.An average flow model for determining effects of three-dimensional roughness of partial hydrodynamic lubrication. Trans. ASME, J. Lubric. Technol., 1978, 100(1), 12–17.
88.
ElrodH. G.A review of theories for the fluid dynamic effects of roughness on laminar lubricating films. Proceedings of the Fourth (1977) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Surface roughness effects in lubrication, 1978, 11–26(Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
89.
DysonA.Hydrodynamic lubrication of rough surfaces—a review of theoretical work. Proceedings of the Fourth (1977) Leeds-Lyon symposium on Tribology, Surface roughness effects in lubrication, 1978, 61–70(Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
90.
ChengH. S.The lubrication of rough surfaces. Proceedings of the Eleventh (1984) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Mixed lubrication and lubricated wear, 1985, 11–20(Butterworth, Guildford).
91.
BushA. W.Predicting the behaviour of lubricated bearings from surface measurements. Wear, 1986, 109, 315–327.
92.
BarwellF. T.The founder of modern tribology. In Osborne Reynolds and engineering science today, (McDowellD. M.JacksonJ. D.) 1970, Ch. 10, 240–263 (Manchester University Press).
93.
MartinH. MLubrication of gear teeth. Engineering, Lond., 1916, 102, 199
94.
ArchardJ. F.KirkM. T.Lubrication at point contacts. Proc. R. Soc., Series A, 1961, 261, 532
95.
KirkM. T.Hydrodynamic lubrication of perspex. Nature, 1962, 194, 965
96.
GoharR.CameronA.Optical measurement of oil film thickness under elastohydrodynamic lubrication. Nature, 1963, 200, 458
97.
ArchardJ. F.CowkingE. W.A simplified treatment of elastohydrodynamic lubrication theory for point contact. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1966, 180, Part 3B, 47–56.
98.
ChengH. S.A numerical solution to the elastohydrodynamic film thickness in an elliptical contact. Trans. ASME, J. Lubric. Technol., Jan. 1970, F92, 155–162.
99.
HamrockB. J.DowsonD.Isothermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication of point contacts. Trans. ASME, J. Lubric. Technol., 1976. Part I: theoretical formulation F98 (2), 223–229; Part II: ellipicity parameter results, F98 (3), 375–383.
100.
ChittendenR. J.DowsonD.DunnJ. F.TaylorC. M.A theoretical analysis of the isothermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication of concentrated contacts. Proc. R. Soc., Lond., 1985, Series A. Part I: direction of lubricant entrainment coincident with the major axis of the Hertzian contact ellipse, 245–269; Part II: general case, with lubricant entrainment along either principal axis of the Hertzian contact ellipse or at some intermediate angle, 271–294.
101.
MacConaillM. A.Function of intra-articular fibrocartilage with special reference to the knee and inferior radio-ulnar joints. J. Anat., 1932, 66, 210
CharnleyJ.The lubrication of animal joints. Proceedings of Symposium on Biomechanics, 1959, 12 (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London).
104.
CharnleyJ.The lubrication of animal joints in relation to surgical reconstruction of arthroplasty. Ann. Rheum., Dis., 1960, 19, 10–19.
105.
SwansonS. A. V.Lubrication. In Adult articular cartilage (FreemanM. A. R.) 1979, 415–460(Pitman Medical, Tunbridge Wells).
106.
DowsonD.Lubrication of joints: A—natural joints. In Introduction to the biomechanics of joints and joint replacements, (DowsonD.WrightV.) 1981, Ch. 13, 120–133(Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
107.
HigginsonG. R.Elastohydrodynamic lubrication in human joints. Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, 1971, 191, 217–223.
108.
MedleyJ. B.DowsonD.WrightV.Transient elastohydrodynamic lubrication models for the human ankle joint. Engineering in Medicine, 1984, 13(3), 137–151.
109.
GardnerD. L.O'ConnorP.OatesK.Low temperature scanning electron microscopy of dog and guinea-pig hyaline articular cartilage. J. Anat., 1981, 267–282.
110.
SaylesR. S.ThomasJ. R.AndersonJ.HaslockI.UnsworthA.Measurement of the surface microgeometry of articular cartilage, J. Biomech.1979, 12, 257–267.
111.
DowsonD.Zhong-MinJinMicro-elastohydrodynamic lubrication of synovial joints. Engineering in Medicine, 1986, 15(2), 63–65.
112.
DowsonD.Zhong-MinJinAn analysis of micro-elastohydrodynamic lubrication in synovial joints under conditions of cyclic loading and entraining velocities. Proceedings of the Thirteenth (1986) Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology, Fluid film lubrication—Osborne Reynolds Centenary, 1886–1986 (Elsevier, to be published).
113.
DowsonD.TaylorC. M.A survey of research on tribology and future priorities. Wear, 1985, 106(4), 347–358.