A Contact Model of Nominally Flat Rough Surfaces Based on a Visco-Elasto-Adhesive Interaction

Approximate closed-form equations are derived for normal contact force between nominally flat rough surfaces in dry contact. The formulation is based on the asperity-level interaction in which adhesive forces between two asperities and elastic and rate-dependent forces are included. The elastic and time rate-dependent portion of force is derived using a viscoelastic interaction of the two asperities. Statistical consideration of rough surfaces then furnishes the mathematical formulation of total normal force due to adhesion, elastic, and rate-dependent properties of the solids in contact. The probabilistic formulation of contact force leads to integral equations. From these are derived approximate closed-form expressions that relate the microscale properties of the surfaces to the macroscale behavior in the form of the total normal contact force between the surfaces. The approximate equations for visco-elasto-adhesive contact of rough surfaces illustrate the dependence of the contact force on the time rate of approach based on a combination of 1/6, 1/3, and 1 power laws.