An incremental equivalent circular contact model for rough surfaces

The accurate calculation of the real contact area between rough surfaces is a key issue in tribology. In this paper, based on the geometrical information of total contact area and the number of contact patches with respect to surface separation, a new method is proposed to determine the relation between real contact area and normal load. The contact of rough surfaces is treated as an accumulation of equivalent circular contacts with varying average contact radius. For a realistic range of separation, the proposed model predicts a linear relation between real contact area and load, and coincides well with direct finite element calculations. Moreover, this model is general and not confined to isotropic Gaussian surfaces.