Three-dimensional contact model for numerically analyzing pressure distribution in wear

Although FEM is adequate in solving most elastic and rough surface contact problems with acceptable accuracy, its requirement for a large number of elements jeopardizes its effective use in analyzing real surface contacts, the contact stresses and the surface profile over a finite area between two rough contact surfaces. To overcome this problem, a technique, for constructing 3D surface in a computer by modifying the available 2D finite impulse response (FIR) digital filter methods and using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) procedure, is proposed, by referring to SEM morphology and experimental results. The technique, incorporating the variatonal approach in minimizing the stored contact energy, eliminates the additional iteration needed in determining contact area. It can be used to predict: (i) the contact pressure distribution and contact statistics of 3D real rough surfaces, (ii) the real contact stresses between a rigid flat and various coated specimens, (iii) the contact stress distribution profile, (iv) the role of friction and stress distribution in wear process. © J.C. Baltzer AG, Science Publishers.