ON THE OBSERVATION OF A FINE-STRUCTURE AS SOCIATED WITH SCHALLAMACHS WAVES PROPAGATION PRODUCED BY SLIDING FRICTION OF RUBBER-LIKE MATERIALS

We present the new results of direct observations of the contact area between a moving transparent hemispherical asperity and a smooth and f lat surface of a soft elastomer sample. It is shown that there is a sm all ridge on the surface of the detachment fold or Schallamach's wave (1971). The space-time evolution diagram, composed by juxtaposition of contact area cross-sections, recorded one after another, proves that there is a correlation between the appearance of these ridges and micr odynamic shifting of forward and backward detachment fold boards. A si mple experiment of a band of rubber rolling between two rigid plates p ermitting creation of macroscale ridges is described.