Lubricated sliding contacts, which operate in the mixed friction area, are indispensable in numerous applications in daily life. Due to the system-related properties, they are subject to increased friction, continuous wear and, in the case of incorrect design, even total failure, e.g. through adhesive seizure. In case of adhesive seizure, comprehensive models are still missing for the evaluation of such sliding contacts’ reliability in advance. Local concepts, which are already applied in the evaluation of mild wear, can be used here. In principle, data obtained in the laboratory should be transferred to an application in the field. In order to adapt this idea for the evaluation of reliability, it is necessary to develop different sub-methodologies. Laboratory-based test methodologies form the basis of recording the characteristic tribosystem parameters. For example, systems such as piston ring/cylinder wall, vane pump or hydrodynamic journal bearing can be represented close to the application, despite the reduction to a laboratory-based test system. Corresponding considerations of the test strategy complete the tribosystem characterisation. In order to be able to make a statement about the seizure behaviour of correspondingly more complex application systems with laboratory-based test results, a novel model has been created to describe the, partly time-dependent, seizure behaviour. Using an approach for damage accumulation, seizure tests with different load histories can be compared. The recording and validation of this sub-methodology is carried out on a ring-on-disc model system. Finally, a computer-based simulation is used to transfer the experimentally determined seizure behaviour onto the target system. In this work, a tribometer with journal bearing test configuration is simulated for validation purposes and evaluated with regard to the asperity pressure varying in time and space. In addition to the system-independent use for modelling the seizure behaviour, local effects on the initiation of failure can be detected and discussed with the help of the novel approach. Beside the direct value for industry as a possible design tool, this also offers potential for scientific use. Despite the already recognised potential for improvement, the novel approach has been successfully validated.