Introduction

Tribology and Design 2010 is the 3rd International Conference in the series which originated with two meetings held at Bournemouth University, UK in 2005 and 2007. The main objective of these meetings is to provide a forum for discussion among scientists, academics and professionals working in different aspects of tribology.

The Tribology and Design Conference explores the role of technology and design in the broader sense. It aims to bring together colleagues from different disciplines interested in problems of surface interaction and design. The range of applications covers from geomechanics to nano problems and from sustainability issues to advanced materials. It has never been so important for the designer to consider product and system durability in relation to reliability and sustainability issues. The topics for discussion also cover studies of tribology in nature and how the resulting lessons can be applied by the designers. Another important theme is the application of tribology in biomechanics, a field in which surface mechanics in general is of fundamental importance.

Tribology problems are essentially interdisciplinary. Engineers and scientists working in this field must be familiar with a wide range of issues, including surface mechanics, material characterisation, chemical and biological processes, computer simulation, measurements and many others. The aim of Tribology and Design 2010 is to facilitate knowledge exchange between scientists from different disciplines and from all over the world.