Abstract A semi-analytical thermo-elastic-plastic contact model has been recently developed and presented in a companion paper. The main advantage of this approach over the classical finite element method (FEM) is the treatment of transient problems with the use of fine meshing and the possibility of studying the effect of a surface defect on the surface deflection as well as on subsurface stress state. A return-mapping algorithm with an elastic predictor/plastic corrector scheme and a von Mises criterion is now used, which improves the plasticity loop. This improvement in the numerical algorithm increases the computing speed significantly and shows a much better convergence and accuracy. The contact model is validated through a comparison with the FEM results of Kogut and Etsion (2002, J. Appl. Mech., 69, pp. 657–662) which correspond to the axisymmetric contact between an elastic-perfectly plastic sphere and a rigid flat. A model for wear prediction based on the material removal during cyclic loading is then proposed. Results are presented, first, for initially smooth surfaces and, second, for rough surfaces. The effects of surface shear stress and hardening law are underlined.