The pressure distribution of conformal contact in spherical plain bearings is studied adopting both theoretical methods and finite element simulations. The effects of normal loads and friction coefficients on the distribution of both axial and circumferential contact stress are investigated. The results show that the circumferential stress can be exactly described with the complete spherical conformal contact theory while the axial one presents strong free-edge effects, mainly caused by the compressive strain. In addition, the distribution of contact stress tends to be uniform with the increase of the load and the friction coefficient, referring to a decrease of contact pressure in the central region and a rise on both edges of the outer ring, which can be attributed to the obstruction effects of friction on the deformation of bearings and the corresponding alteration of contact area.
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