Study on tangential stiffness and friction damping of rough contacts

This study developed an experimental method that can quantify tangential contact stiffness and friction damping characteristics of the contact interface between rough metal surfaces. The experimental apparatus employs a surface contact between two hollow disk specimens made of carbon steel. A tangential load, i.e., F, was applied at the contact interface, and the tangential displacement (deformation) of the contacting asperities within the apparent contact zone, i.e., ua, was measured simultaneously. From the relationship between the tangential load and displacement, i.e., F vs. ua plot, the tangential stiffness and friction damping characteristic were quantified. In this paper, the effect of normal load and roughness of contacting surfaces on these characteristics were investigated.