The use of advanced measurement techniques
such as the digital holography method described in this paper improves the understanding of the cavitation phenomenon
in tribological contacts such as the sliding contact of the piston ring–cylinder liner conjunction. The paper describes the use of digital holography measurement technique to measure cavitation bubble formation and
thickness. The position of observed lubricant film rupture preceding the cavitation region is compared with some
commonly predicted boundary often used with Reynolds equation. The experimental results indicate that the Reynolds and Elrod boundary conditions are the most suitable
for the investigated sliding contact conditions