Steady-State Frictional Sliding of Two Elastic Bodies With a Wavy Contact Interface

Abstract

Dry frictional sliding of two elastic bodies, one of which has a periodic wavy surface, is considered. Such a model represents the frictional sliding of two nominally flat surfaces, one of which has periodically spaced asperities. The dependence of the true contact area on loading is analyzed by using the plane strain theory of elasticity. Fourier series and integral transform techniques are applied to reduce the problem to an integral equation which is solved using a series of Jacobi polynomials. For steady-state dynamic frictional sliding with given values of the friction coefficient, materials constants, and sliding velocity, the dependence of the contact zone length on the remotely applied tractions is determined. The results indicate a decrease of the minimum applied traction required to close the gap between the bodies, with an increase of the friction coefficient and/or the sliding velocity. A resonance exists as the sliding velocity approaches the Rayleigh wave speed of the flat body. [S0742-4787(00)01403-X]