The effect of highly elongated micro-contacts on rolling contact stress field

Abstract

This study presents a boundary element model to analyze contact pressure distribution and the subsurface stress field in rough rolling elements. The methodology is demonstrated by the stress field of the backup roll and work roll in the cold/temper rolling process and characterized by a parallel orientation of roughness lay with rolling direction, resulting in a cluster of highly elongated elliptical micro-contacts. The numerical outcomes revealed that the amplitude of in-plane and out-of-plane shear stress components are strongly dependent on the ellipticity of the micro-contacts. Comparison with experimental results shows that the crack plane is oriented transversal to the rolling direction and the crack initiation location corresponds to the location where the shear stress components are maximum.