A Study on the Mechanics of Fatigue-Dominated Friction Noise

Abstract

The generation of friction noise for fatigue-dominated interfaces is studied. A special experimental set up for studying the effects of various parameters on the generation of noise by dry friction under different running conditions of load and speed is constructed. The noise and vibration response signatures are simultaneously measured and statistically analyzed. A simplified model for the friction interface and the supporting structure is also developed, and is used to simulate the vibration and acoustic responses. It is shown that the simulation predictions are in good agreement with the experimental data. The results show that the friction noise signatures have a well defined structure with randomly occuring sharp pulses. For fatigue-dominated interfaces, the departure of the noise signature from a Gaussian process increases as acoustic radiation due to roughness interaction effects becomes more significant. The noise power spectra contain a broad frequency band with a continuous peak level extending over the high frequency range of 2–20 kHz due to the effects of impacts between surface asperities.