Numerical and finite element contact and thermal analysis of real composite-steel surfaces in sliding contact

Numerical techniques have been developed and used to evaluate the contact t emperature distribution between real composite-steel surfaces in sliding co ntact. To characterise the contact temperature problem of composite materia ls, new definitions for composite Peclet numbers have been introduced. In t he case of 'slow sliding' problems, a stationary numerical technique was ap plied, whereas for 'intermediate and fast sliding' problems, transient fini te element (FE) solutions were preferred. Contact temperature results were presented for real composite-steel sliding surfaces; the latter will help t o provide information about the actual stress conditions, which are necessa ry to model the wear process of this pair of materials in future works. Asp erity type contact was also detected by an experimental evaluation of the r eal contact area; the latter was performed by compressing a composite pin o nto a glass surface. To study the sliding contact of a composite pin, a mic ro-sliding test was also produced by a pulling unit. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scie nce S.A. All rights reserved.