Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Line Contact Based on Surface Elasticity Theory

Abstract

Using surface elasticity theory, this article first analyzes the surface effect on the elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) line contact between an elastic half-plane and a rigid cylindrical punch. In this theory, the surface effect is characterized with two parameters: surface elastic modulus and residual surface stress. The density and viscosity of the lubricant, considered as Newtonian fluid, vary with the fluid pressure. A numerical iterative method is proposed to simultaneously deal with the flow rheology equation, Reynolds equation, load balance equation, and film thickness equation. Then, the fluid pressure and film thickness are numerically determined at the lubricant contact region. Influences of surface elastic modulus, residual surface stress, punch radius, resultant normal load, and entraining velocity on the lubricant film thickness and fluid pressure are discussed. It is found that the surface effect has remarkable influences on the micro-/nano-scale EHL contact of elastic materials.