True Brinelling,

False Brinelling, &

Fretting Corrosion-
What’s the Difference?
By
Robert Errichello

Copyright © 2014 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644.

All rights are reserved

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

True Brinelling
Name derives from James A. Brinell
(1900) inventor of Brinell hardness test
machine [1].

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

True Brinelling Mechanism

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Class/Mode True Brinelling
Definition Plastic deformation of Hertzian contacts without loss of material.
Morphology Dented surface, raised shoulders. OLM shows original machining marks in crater.
Cause Subsurface shear stress exceeds subsurface yield strength.
Remedy Increase yield strength. Reduce subsurface shear stress. Avoid impacts and
shock loads.
Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.
False Brinelling
Name derives from morphology of the
false brinelling wear scar: it looks like a
smooth shiny impression similar to the
indentation left by a Brinell test
impression.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

False Brinelling Mechanism

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Class/Mode False Brinelling
Definition Mild adhesion of Hertzian contacts with loss of material.
Morphology Dented surface without raised shoulders. OLM shows original machining marks
are worn away. Magnetite surrounds wear scar.
Cause Wearing off of pre-existing & continually reforming oxide films.
Remedy Stop vibration, rotate components to entrain fresh lubricant, or both.
Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.
Fretting Corrosion
Name derives from morphology of the
fretting corrosion wear scar: it looks red
and rusty similar to corrosion. Under
magnification it looks like rusty corrosion
pits.

Tomlinson (1927) coined the name fretting

corrosion [2].

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Fretting Corrosion Mechanism

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Example Fretting Corrosion on wind turbine intermediate gear (as found).
Morphology Dents (ruts) with magnetite and hematite surrounding wear scars.
Cause Strong welds form between asperities of parent iron components.
Remedy Stop vibration, rotate components to entrain fresh lubricant, or both.
Remedy Do not park wind turbine.
Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.
 Lab Tests
The following slide is courtesy of Chevron
Research.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.
 Examples
False brinelling and fretting corrosion
occurs on:
•Joints bolted, keyed, or press-fitted.
•Splines and flexible couplings.
•Gears & bearings that are not rotating &
subjected to vibration such as that
occurring during transport or parking.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

 Examples
Wind turbines suffer false brinelling &
fretting corrosion on many interfaces:
•Yaw gears and yaw bearings.
•Blade pitch bearings.
•Rotor/main shaft interference fit.
•Gearbox/main shaft interference fit.
•Annulus/torque arm bolted joint.
Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.
 Examples
•Gearbox gears and bearings.
•Gearbox sun pinion spline.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Example Fretting Corrosion on wind turbine high speed pinion (after cleaning).
Morphology Dents (ruts) with hematite within wear scars.
Cause Strong welds form between asperities of parent iron components.
Remedy Stop vibration, rotate components to entrain fresh lubricant, or both.
Remedy Do not park wind turbine.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Example False Brinelling and Fretting Corrosion on wind turbine high speed TRB OR.
Morphology Polished dents and ruts with hematite within wear scars.
Cause Mild adhesion in oxide film and severe adhesion between asperities of parent iron.
Remedy Stop vibration, rotate components to entrain fresh lubricant, or both.
Remedy Do not park wind turbine.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Example Fretting Corrosion on wind turbine sun spline.
Morphology Hematite within wear scar and polishing wear surrounding wear scar.
Cause Severe adhesion between asperities of parent iron and polishing from hematite.
Remedy Improve lubrication using oil jet, use nitriding case hardening.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Example Fretting Corrosion on wind turbine sun spline (enlarged view).
Morphology Hematite within wear scar and polishing wear surrounding wear scar.
Cause Severe adhesion between asperities of parent iron and polishing from hematite.
Remedy Improve lubrication using oil jet, use nitriding case hardening.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Example Fretting Corrosion on wind turbine LS gear. Escalation to micropitting.
Morphology Hematite within wear scar and micropitting initiating from edges of wear scar.
Cause Fretting from parking. Micropitting from geometric stress concentration (GSC).
Remedy Do not park wind turbines.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Example False Brinelling & Fretting Corrosion on hydroelectric planet gear during shipping.
Morphology Magnetite surrounds wear scar and hematite within wear scar.
Cause Mild adhesion in oxide film and severe adhesion between asperities of parent iron.
Remedy Stop vibration, rotate components to entrain fresh lubricant, or both.
Remedy Lock gear train on coast flanks. Ship on air-ride truck. Use vibration isolators.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Example Fretting Corrosion on wind turbine yaw gear that occurred during static yaw.
Morphology Hematite within and surrounding wear scar.
Cause Severe adhesion between asperities of parent iron.
Remedy Oscillate yaw position periodically with adequate oscillation to entrain fresh grease.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

 Properties of Iron Oxides [6]
Parameter Magnetite Hematite
Composition Fe3O4 α-Fe2O3
Crystal Octahedron Rhombohedral
Color Iron-black Blood-red
Mohs hardness 5.5-6.5 5.5-6.5
Specific gravity 5.17-5.18 4.9-5.3
Melting point 1594˚C 1565˚C
Magnetic Strongly No
Transparency Opaque Transparent
Use Iron ore Jeweler’s rouge

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

False Brinelling Mechanism [3-8]

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Fretting Corrosion Mechanism [3-8]

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

Wear Rates [5]

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

False Brinelling v Fretting Corrosion
Parameter False Brinelling Fretting Corrosion
Wear mode Boundary lubricated Unlubricated
Wear mechanism Mild adhesion Severe adhesion
Wear rate Low High
Wear severity Mild Severe
Wear morphology Smooth polished dents Rough corroded ruts
Sequence Incubation for fretting corrosion After magnetite dam forms
Wear debris Magnetite (black) Hematite (red)
Wear depth Confined to oxide layer Breaks through oxide layer
Significance Usually tolerable Frequently unacceptable
Escalation Might cause fretting corrosion Might escalate to fatigue
Susceptible mat’l All metals and nonmetals All metals and nonmetals

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

 True Brinelling v False Brinelling
Parameter True Brinelling False Brinelling
Mechanism Plastic deformation Mild adhesion
Morphology Shiny dent Smooth polished dent
Machining marks Yes None
Dent shoulder Yes None
Wear debris None Magnetite (black Fe3O4)

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

 Prevention
The only known remedy:

Stop vibration, rotate

components, or both.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

 Mitigation
The following methods might mitigate the
damage:
• Ensure motion is sufficient to entrain fresh
lube into contact.
• Avoid parking wind turbines for extended
periods.
• Avoid dithering of wind turbine blades.
• Avoid static yaw for extended periods.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

 Mitigation
• Ensure adequate fit between shafts & gears,
brg rings, etc.
• Use case hardening (nitriding is best).
• Use PVD or CVD hard coatings.
• Use shot peening to reduce risk of fretting
fatigue, and obtain rougher surfaces that are
resistant to fretting corrosion.
• Use lube with antiwear additives.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.

 Mitigation
• Use oil rather than grease.
• Use high pressure oil jet to flood contact and
flush away wear debris.
• Store gearbox in vibration-free environment.
• Support gearbox on vibration isolators.
• Ship gearbox with shafts locked to prevent
motion.
• Ship gearbox on air-ride truck over shortest
route.
Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.
 References
1. Brinell, J. A., H Cong. Int. Methodes d’ Essai (Paris),
(1900).
2. Tomlinson, G. A., “The rusting of steel in contact,”
Proc. Roy. Soc. (London), A115, (1927) 472.
3. Godfrey, D., “”Investigation of fretting corrosion by
microscopic observation,” NACA Rept. No. 1009,
(1951).
4. Godfrey D., and Bailey, J. M., “Early stages of
fretting of copper, iron, and steel,” Lubr. Eng., 10
(1954) 155.
5. Godfrey D., “A study of fretting wear in mineral oil,”
Lubr. Eng.,12 (1956) 37-42.
Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.
 References
6. Godfrey, D., “Iron oxides and rust (hydrated iron
oxides) in tribology,” Lubrication Engineering, (1999)
33-37.
7. Godfrey, D., “Fretting corrosion or false brinelling?,”
Tribology & Lubrication Technology, 59, 12, (2003)
28-30.
8. Errichello, R.,“Another perspective: False brinelling
and fretting corrosion,” Tribology & Lubrication
Technology, 60, 4, (2004) 34-36.

Copyright © 1999 by GEARTECH, Townsend, MT 59644. All rights are reserved.