Interaction Effects of Multiple Cracks

Abstract

As a result of the physical and thermal tests on compressed cone to flat metallic contacts it is possible to predict the thermal conductance of this type of joint with confidence. Parameters required for these predictions include the shape of the deformed joint whilst loaded, and the true support pressure. The latter varies with the initial cone angle, and is always less than the Meyer Hardness of the material of the conical element. The anomalies of previous work4 based on simpler physical models and on assumed values of support pressure equal to the Meyer Hardness have been resolved. The electrical analogue proved particularly useful for rapid determinations of joint conductances of many shapes of contact, giving good agreement with computer predictions based on constant physical properties of the joint materials. Both of these methods produced results in good agreement with thermal conductance measurements, for a variety of cone angles and joint materials.