MEC 2205: ENGINEERING TRIBOLOGY

Instructor: Mr. Munu Nicholas

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Ndejje University
nicholasmunu@yahoo.com
0777-328583

1
3.0 Contact Between Solid
Surfaces

2
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES

• When two nominally flat surfaces are placed in

contact, surface roughness causes contact to occur at
discrete contact spots (junctions), see figure below;

Schematic representation of an interface,

showing the apparent and real areas of
contact. Typical size of an asperity contact
is from submicron to a few microns. Inset
shows the details of a contact on a
submicron scale
3
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
• Real/True area of contact: is the sum of the areas of
all the contact spots. Simply it can also be referred to
as contact area
• Apparent/nominal area of contact: is that area of
contact which would occur if the surfaces were
perfectly smooth

• For most materials with applied load, real area of

contact is only a small fraction of the nominal area

• The real area of contact is a function of:

(1) the surface texture, (2) material properties, and (3)
interfacial loading conditions
4
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
• The proximity of the asperities results in adhesive
contacts caused by interatomic interactions

• When two surfaces move relative to each other, the

friction force is contributed by adhesion of these
asperities and other sources of surface interactions

• Repeated surface interactions and surface and

subsurface stresses, developed at the interface, result in
formation of wear particles and eventual failure

• A smaller real area of contact results in a lower degree

of interaction, leading generally to lower wear
5
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
• The problem of relating friction and wear to the
surface texture and material properties generally
involves the determination of the real area of contact
• Therefore, understanding of friction and wear
requires understanding of the mechanics of contact of
solid bodies

• During the contact of two surfaces, contact will

initially occur at only a few points to support the
normal load (force)
• As the normal load is increased, the surfaces move
closer together, a larger number of higher asperities
on the two surfaces come into contact, and existing
contacts grow to support the increasing load 6
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
• Deformation occurs in the region of the contact spots,
thus establishing stresses that oppose the applied load

• The mode of surface deformation may be;

 Elastic,
 Plastic,
 Viscoelastic, or
 Viscoplastic,

• Surface deformation depends on; (1) nominal normal

and nominal shear stresses (load per apparent contact
area), (2) surface roughness, and (3) material
properties 7
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
• The local stresses at the contact spots are much
higher than the nominal stresses

• Although nominal stresses may be in the elastic

range, the local stresses may exceed the elastic limit
(yield strength) and the contact will yield plastically

• In most contact situations, some asperities are

deformed elastically, while others are deformed
plastically; the load induces a generally elastic
deformation of the solid bodies but at the tips of the
asperities, where the actual contact occurs, local
plastic deformation may take place
8
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
• In the contact of two rough surfaces, a large number
of asperities of different shapes and sizes are pressed
against each other

• Tips of surface asperities on solid bodies are

sometimes considered spherically shaped so that the
contact of two macroscopically flat bodies can be
reduced to the study of an array of spherical contacts
deforming at their tips

9
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES

Schematic of (a) two 3-D rough

surfaces in contact, and (b)
corresponding contact areas

10
 CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES

Photograph of the asperity contact areas of a thin-film disk in contact with a

plano-convex lens at an applied load 500 mN (9.27 Mpa at the contact center).
Light regions correspond to contact spots
11
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Single Asperity Contact of Homogeneous and Frictionless
Solids
•A single asperity contact reduces to a problem of
deformation of two curved bodies in contact

•For the analysis of a single asperity contact, it is

convenient to model an asperity as a small spherically
shaped protuberance

•For surfaces with anisotropic roughness distribution,

asperities may be modeled with curved bodies of
specific geometries
12
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Single Asperity Contact of Homogeneous and Frictionless
Solids

An example is similar to deformation and pressure at

the contact of two colliding balls 13
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•The first analysis of the deformation and pressure at
the contact of two elastic solids with geometries defined
by quadratic surfaces was done by Hertz in 1882 and
such contacts are referred to as Hertzian contact
His analysis is based on the following assumptions
(1)the surfaces are continuous, smooth and nonconforming
(2)the strains are small
(3)each solid can be considered as an elastic half-space in
the proximity of the contact region, and
(4)the surfaces are frictionless

14
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact

Two solids of general

shape loaded together are
shown in cross section after
deformation in the figure
below

The convex shape is chosen

for convenience
15
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•The x-y plane is the contact plane

•The point of first contact is taken as the origin of a

Cartesian coordinate system in which the x-y plane is
the common tangent plane to the two surfaces and the z-
axis lies along the common normal directed positively
into the lower solid

•The separation between the two surfaces at radius r

before loading is z1 + z2
16
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•During the compression by a normal force W, distant
points in the two bodies T1 and T2 move towards O,
parallel to the z-axis, by vertical displacements δ1 and
δ2, respectively

•If the solids did not deform their profiles would overlap
as shown by the dotted lines

•The elastic deformation results in displacement of the

surface outside the footprint such that the contact size
(2a) is less than the overlap length resulting from
intersection of the dotted lines 17
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•Due to the contact pressure the surface of each body is
displaced parallel to Oz by an amount ¯ uz1 and ¯uz2
(measured positive into each body), relative to the
distant points T1 and T2, and after displacement points
S1 and S2 become coincident

•The total displacement δ = δ1 + δ2 is called total

interference or normal approach which is defined as the
distance by which points on the two bodies remote from
the deformation zone move together on application of a
normal load
18
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•It arises from the flattening and displacement of the
surface within the deformation zone

•If the two bodies are solids of revolution, then from

polar symmetry, the contact area will be circular,
centered at O

•We now consider the problem of elastic deformation of

two spheres of radii R1 and R2 in solid contact with an
applied normal load W. The contact area is circular,
having a radius a and the contact pressure is elliptical
with p(r) at a radius r in the contact zone 19
 CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•The composite or effective curvature R and young's
modulus E* are given by:

•v = Poissons ratio

From Hertz analysis;

• The contact radius a is given by:

•p0 : is the Constant Pressure

•The area of contact for the elastic case is:
20
 CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•The displacements within the contact case can be
expressed as:

And

•The pressure distribution is elliptical according to the equation;

•The maximum pressure p0 is at the contact center being 3/2

times the mean contact pressure, pm, and given as

21
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•Note that the real area of contact from the figure is
exactly half the area covered by intersection of dotted
lines (= 2π Rδ)

•Also note that the area of contact increases as: (normal

load)2/3

•Next we examine the stress distributions at the surface

and within the two solids, for the Hertz pressure exerted
between two frictionless elastic spheres in contact
22
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•For pressure applied to a circular region, it is
convenient to write expressions for the stress field in
polar coordinates

•The polar components of the stress field in the surface

z = 0, inside the loaded circle (r < a) are:

23
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•Out side the circle (r > a):

•They are all compressive except at the very edge of

contact where the radial stress is tensile having a maximum
value of (1 − 2ν)p0/3 at the edge of the circle at r = a

•This is the maximum tensile stress occurring anywhere in the

contact and it is held responsible for the ring cracks which are
observed to form when brittle materials such as glass are
pressed into contact
24
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•At the center the radial stress is compressive and of
value (1 + 2ν)p0/2

•Thus, for an incompressible material (ν = 0.5) the

stress at the origin is hydrostatic

•Outside the contact area, the radial and hoop

(circumferential) stresses are of equal magnitude and
are tensile and compressive, respectively

25
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•The stresses on the z-axis may be calculated by
considering a ring of concentrated force at radius r:

•Expressions for σx and σy on the z-axis are the same as

those for σr and σθ
•The negative sign represents the compressive stresses
26
 CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact

(a) (b)
(a)The stress distributions within the two solids with ν = 0.30

(b)Contours of principal shear stress [ = 1/2 (principal stress

difference)]
27
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•Along the z-axis, σr, σθ and σz are principal stresses.
(σr, σθ on the z-axis are identical to σx and σy).
•The principal shear stress, τ1 = ½ |σz − σr | on the z-
axis, is shown in figure below:

28
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•The principal shear stress τ1 has a maximum value
which lies below the surface

•For the Hertz pressure distribution it has a maximum

value of 0.31 p0 which lies below the surface at a depth
of 0.48a (for ν = 0.30). Hence plastic yielding would be
expected to initiate beneath the surface
•Shear stress at the origin is given by:

29
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Elastic Contact
•Shear stress in the surface at the edges of the contact is
given by:

•The maximum shear stress τmax = ½ |σz − σr |max on

the z-axis and its location (z/a) for different values of ν
can be calculated using Equation in slide 134

30
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•As the normal load between two contacting bodies is
applied, they initially deform elastically according to
their Young’s moduli of elasticity

•As the load is increased, one of the two bodies with

lower hardness may start to deform plastically

•As the normal load is further increased, the plastic zone

grows until the entire material surrounding the contact
has gone through plastic deformation
31
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•The load at which the plastic flow or plastic yield
begins in the complex stress field of two contacting
solids is related to the yield point of the softer material
in a simple tension or pure shear test through an
appropriate yield criterion

•Two of the yield criteria most commonly employed for

most ductile materials as well as sometimes for brittle
materials are:
(1)Tresca yield criterion (Maximum shear stress theory), and
(2)von Mises yield criterion (Maximum distortion energy
theory)
32
 CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•In Tresca’s maximum shear stress criterion, the
yielding will occur when the maximum shear stress
(half the difference between the maximum and
minimum principal stresses) reaches the yield stress in
the pure shear or half of yield stress in simple tension

•σ1, σ2 and σ3 are the principal stresses in the state of complex

stress
•The yield point in pure shear k is half the yield stress in simple
tension (or compression) Y
33
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•In the von Mises shear strain energy criterion,
yielding will occur when the distortion energy equals
the distortion energy at yield in simple tension or
pure shear

•Therefore yielding occurs when the square root of the

second invariant of the stress deviator tensor (Sij)
reaches the yield stress in simple shear or (1/√3) of
yield stress in simple tension,

34
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•√J2 and √3J2 are referred to as von Mises stress in shear
and in tension, respectively. Note that the yield stress in
pure shear is (1/√3) times the yield stress in simple tension
•The von Mises criterion predicts a pure shear yield stress
which is about 15% higher than predicted by the Tresca
criterion
•von Mises criterion is employed more often than Tresca
criterion in plasticity analyses

•In the case of axisymmetric contact of two spheres (e.g. on

slide 123), maximum shear stress occurs beneath the surface
on the axis of symmetry, z-axis
35
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•Along this z-axis, σr, σθ, and σz are principal stresses
and σr = σθ

•We have shown that for ν = 0.3, the value of ½ |σz−σr| is

0.31p0 at a depth of 0.48a

•Thus, by the Tresca criterion, the value of p0 for yield is

given by:

•By the von Mises criterion p0 is given by:

36
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•The load to initiate yield Wy is given by:

•The maximum normal approach before the onset of plastic

deformation is given by:

•Note that yielding would occur in one of the two solids

with a lower yield stress or hardness
37
 CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•Further note that to carry a high load (high interference)
without yielding it is desirable to choose a material with a
high yield strength or hardness and with a low elastic
modulus
•Example
A ceramic ball with a radius of 5mm is pressed into a
hemispherical recess of 10mm in radius in a steel plate. (a)
What normal load is necessary to initiate yield in the steel plate;
(b) what is the radius of the contact; and (c) at what depth does
yield first occur? The given parameters are: Eceramic = 450GPa,
Esteel = 200GPa, νceramic = 0.3, νsteel = 0.3, Hceramic = 20GPa
and Hsteel = 5GPa. Assume that H ∼ 2.8 Y
38
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•Solution
The composite modulus is given by:

Therefore:

The composite radius is given by:

39
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•Solution cont….
Therefore:
(a)Yield will occur when:

and

40
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•Solution cont….
Therefore:
(b)

(c) Yield occurs at a depth of 0.48a:

41
CONTACT BETWEEN SOLID SURFACES
3.2 Analysis of the Contacts
Limit of Elastic Deformation
•Example 2
A ceramic ball with a diameter of 5mm is pressed into a
steel ball of 10mm in diameter under a normal load of 100N.
Calculate: (a) the minimum hardness of the steel ball for the
contact to remain fully elastic; and (b) the radius of the
contact zone. The given parameters are: Eceramic =
450GPa, Esteel = 200GPa, νceramic = 0.3, νsteel = 0.3,and
Hceramic > Hsteel

42