Green Function of Rubber-Layered Steel Roller and Friction Drive Analysis between a Rubber-Layered Roller and a Rigid Roller.

Abstract

This paper describes theoretical and experimental study of friction drive characteristics between a rubber-layered rigid roller and a mated rigid roller based on the Boundary-Element Method. First, under the assumption of plane-strain, we analytically derived Green's functions of a rubber roller with a rigid core based on cylindrical coordinates. Second, a contact problem of a rubber-layered rigid roller and a mated rigid roller under normal and tangential forces is numerically analyzed by Green's functions derived above. Normal and tangential contact pressures, strain of rubber, and contact region are repeatedly calculated so as to satisfy given normal and tangential forces. Tangential velocity ratio between two rollers is calculated as a function of tangential to normal force ratio for various rubber thickness values. Calculated results clearly indicate an influence of the thickness of rubber on the velocity ratio characteristics. Then, the friction characteristics of rubber-layered roller are measured experimentally. The numerical results are found in good agreement with the experimental ones.