| The goal of this project was to develop a validated numerical model for the prediction of static friction of metallic contacts. This model included the real surface topography acquired using a 3-D optical profilometer. The DC-FFT algorithm, a novel numerical method to calculate the stress components of any element in the contact area was used to predict the maximum tangential load the contact can withstand before sliding. The calculated tangential load and external normal load were used to estimate the static friction coefficient at the contact interface. The model was experimentally validated using data obtained with a specially designed test rig. The validated model was used to investigate the effects of various surface patterns on the static friction coefficient. Preliminary results showed that certain dimple patterns can reduce the static friction coefficient by up to 30%. It is anticipated that the findings of this project will enable development of compact and efficient design of machine components whose operation is currently limited by friction at start- up. |
