Lubrication of 2D soft elastohydrodynamic contacts: Extension of the amplitude reduction theory

Abstract

Surface roughness plays an important role in the performance of soft elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts. When a soft and smooth body is in contact with a very rigid and rough one, the roughness creates pressure fluctuations, resulting in the deformation of the soft body. As the contact pressure is low, the fluid can be considered isoviscous and incompressible. An extension of the amplitude reduction theory from the piezoviscous to isoviscous elastic regime is performed under pure rolling conditions. It shows that a single master curve can be obtained by providing an analytic formula, but the power on the load parameter is different in the piezoviscous and isoviscous elastic zones.