ELASTIC CONTACT IN PRESENCE OF COHESIVE FLUIDS

The contact law and consequent pressure distribution for contact betwe en elastic spheres with a meniscus of cohesive fluid are found. The re sults reveal quite a different relationship both from conventional dry contact and from contacts whereby solid-solid adhesive forces apply. The results are of direct applicability to the study of agglomerates. A direct indication of the pull-off force between adjacent spheres is given, but for a numerical evaluation of this force the Kelvin curvatu re and contact angle are needed.