The concept of a fractal-regular surface, with a dual-section power spectrum, has been implemented in an elastic-plastic contact analysis. Under certain assumptions, the analysis of individual fractal domains can be decoupled from that of the macroscopic shape. Due to the increase in the number of contacting fractal domains associated with a macroscopic contact expansion, the contact area-load relationship for fractal-regular surfaces is nearly linear, with a load exponent of 1-1.11, in contrast to 1-1.33 for fractal surfaces. Thus, the Amontons law of friction can be reasonably explained with fractal-regular surfaces under the assumption of a linear friction-area relationship. The distribution of the local real-to-apparent contact ratio in a nominally Hertzian contact was found to vary with the fractal dimension. The plastic contact ratio tends to be more uniformly distributed as the fractal dimension approaches unity.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: mswang@ntu.edu.sg
Article navigation
January 2004
Technical Papers
Real Contact Area of Fractal-Regular Surfaces and Its Implications in the Law of Friction
Shao Wang, Associate Professor, Mem. ASME
e-mail: mswang@ntu.edu.sg
Shao Wang, Associate Professor, Mem. ASME
School of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798
Search for other works by this author on:
Shao Wang, Associate Professor, Mem. ASME
School of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798
e-mail: mswang@ntu.edu.sg
Contributed by the Tribology Division of THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS for presentation at the STLE/ASME Joint International Tribology Conference, Ponte Vedra, FL, October 26–29, 2003. Manuscript received by the Tribology Division February 4, 2003 revised manuscript received June 24, 2003, Associate Editor: J. L. Streator.
J. Tribol. Jan 2004, 126(1): 1-8 (8 pages)
Published Online: January 13, 2004
Article history
Received:
February 4, 2003
Revised:
June 24, 2003
Online:
January 13, 2004
Citation
Wang, S. (January 13, 2004). "Real Contact Area of Fractal-Regular Surfaces and Its Implications in the Law of Friction ." ASME. J. Tribol. January 2004; 126(1): 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1609493
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Related Articles
A Mechanics Approach to Static Friction of Elastic–Plastic Fractal Surfaces
J. Tribol (April,2005)
Elastic Multiscale Contact of Rough Surfaces: Archard’s Model Revisited and Comparisons With Modern Fractal Models
J. Appl. Mech (May,2001)
Coefficients of Restitution Based on a Fractal Surface Model
J. Appl. Mech (May,2003)
Fractal Model Developed for Elliptic Elastic-Plastic Asperity Microcontacts of Rough Surfaces
J. Tribol (October,2004)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
On the Evaluation of Thermal and Mechanical Factors in Low-Speed Sliding
Tribology of Mechanical Systems: A Guide to Present and Future Technologies
mDFA Empirical Results
Modified Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (mDFA)
Applications of Fractal Theory in Sealing Performance Analysis on Premium Connection
Proceedings of the International Conference on Technology Management and Innovation