A Bibliometric Framework to Identify and Delineate Subfields of Research on Tribological Wear

Abstract

This contribution is about the first part of a bibliometric framework to identify new fundamentals in friction and wear in the field of tribology research. The first part covers clustering and mapping of bibliographically coupled journals to delineate subfields of tribological wear. The main objective of the whole study was to identify new theory based approaches and fundamentals on research about wear. The whole framework uses indicators from bibliometric elements about journals and conferences, disciplines, authors’ keywords and research fronts extracted from publications. We collected slightly more than 5000 publications of relevant literature for the year 2015. In this contribution we report on structuring of journals and conference proceedings. The cluster analysis and a spring based one dimensional mapping of bibliographically coupled journals delivered some delineated disciplinary subfields like materials, mechanical engineering, dentistry, arthroplasty and machining. Clusters of journals on tribological wear delivered applied research as well as some more fundamental issues. However the analysis did not result in specific clusters of journals about new fundamental research on wear.