Contact mechanics of surfaces with various models of roughness descriptions

In this paper, the differences among various models of rough surface descri ptions on the stress analysis of head-disk interface are examined. Besides the commonly used fractal geometry, simpler polynomials and Fourier series are used for describing the surface height variation. Elastic-plastic conta ct analyses for the head-disk interface (HDI) are then performed using ABAQ US. By incorporating various rough surface characterizations into the finit e element model of the disk medium, the corresponding finite element analys es are carried out to demonstrate the variation and distribution of the con tact pressure. Simulation results for Von Mises equivalent stress, equivale nt plastic strain, and maximum tensile stress, are examined for various max imum interference distances. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.