Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication of Spherical Surfaces of Low Elastic Modulus

Abstract

The paper presents a numerical solution for the elastohydrodynamic lubrication of low modulus point contacts which is broadly equivalent to the theory of Grubin for materials of high elastic modulus. The theoretical results obtained for the variation of minimum film thickness using this approach are therefore expected to apply to conditions of high load and low speed. For less severe conditions in which elastic deformation is less significant an alternative approach has been developed. Results of this analysis show the transition from undeformed to heavily loaded conditions. The effect of lubricant starvation has been examined for heavily loaded conditions and the theoretical results are compared with those obtained previously for high elastic modulus point contact.