An Elastic-Plastic Finite Element Model of Rolling Contact, Part 2: Analysis of Repeated Contacts

Abstract

This paper presents finite element analyses of two-dimensional (plane strain), elastic-plastic, repeated, frictionless rolling contact. The analysis employs the elastic-perfectly plastic, cycle and strain-amplitude-independent material used in the Merwin and Johnson analysis but avoids several assumptions made by these workers. Repeated rolling contacts are simulated by multiple translations of a semielliptical Hertzian pressure distribution. Results at p0/k = 3.5, 4.35, and 5.0 are compared to the Merwin and Johnson prediction. Shakedown is observed at p0/k = 3.5, but the comparisons reveal significant differences in the amount and distribution of residual shear strain and forward flow at p0/k = 4.35 and p0/k = 5.0. The peak incremental, shear strain per cycle for steady state is five times the value calculated by Merwin and Johnson, and the plastic strain cycle is highly nonsymmetric.