A New Experimental Technique to Measure Contact Pressure

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuel N. Diaconescu ◽  
Marilena L. Glovnea ◽  
Ovidiu Petrosel

A new technique to measure the pressure in a real contact is proposed. One of contacting surfaces is covered, prior to contact establishment, by a special gel. The contact closing removes the excess gel and, during a certain time interval, the contact pressure transforms the entrapped substance in an amorphous solid. In each point, the refractive index of this solid depends on the pressure acting during transformation. After contact opening, the reflectivity of this coating depends on the former contact pressure and it is mapped by aid of a laser profilometer and becomes an indicator of contact pressure. Theoretical considerations show that the gel must possess certain optical parameters for the method to work. Several experimental reported results offer a clear image upon pressure distribution in Hertz point contacts, end effects in finite length line contacts, pressure distribution between rough surfaces and indicate the onset of plastic deformation.

Author(s):  
Emanuel Diaconescu

The end effect attenuation in finite length line contacts is mainly approached for cylindrical bodies. Multi-radius crowning may remove end effects in tapered roller contacts. Another method for leveling maximum pressure in these contacts is the use of polynomial generatrix. This paper investigates the effect of this generatrix in tapered roller contacts. An improved pressure distribution is obtained. This has a nearly flat maximum value along most of contact length.


2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lee

Abstract A tire slips circumferentially on the rim when subjected to a driving or braking torque greater than the maximum tire-rim frictional torque. The balance of the tire-rim assembly achieved with weight attachment at certain circumferential locations in tire mounting is then lost, and vibration or adverse effects on handling may result when the tire is rolled. Bead fitment refers to the fit between a tire and its rim, and in particular, to whether a gap exists between the two. Rim slip resistance, or the maximum tire-rim frictional torque, is the integral of the product of contact pressure, friction coefficient, and the distance to the wheel center over the entire tire-rim interface. Analytical solutions and finite element analyses were used to study the dependence of the contact pressure distribution on tire design and operating attributes such as mold ring profile, bead bundle construction and diameter, and inflation pressure, etc. The tire-rim contact pressure distribution consists of two parts. The pressure on the ledge and the flange, respectively, comes primarily from tire-rim interference and inflation. Relative contributions of the two to the total rim slip resistance vary with tire types, depending on the magnitudes of ledge interference and inflation pressure. Based on the analyses, general guidelines are established for bead design modification to improve rim slip resistance and mountability, and to reduce the sensitivity to manufacturing variability. An iterative design and analysis procedure is also developed to improve bead fitment.


1995 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Shiobara ◽  
T. Akasaka ◽  
S. Kagami ◽  
S. Tsutsumi

Abstract The contact pressure distribution and the rolling resistance of a running radial tire under load are fundamental properties of the tire construction, important to the steering performance of automobiles, as is well known. Many theoretical and experimental studies have been previously published on these tire properties. However, the relationships between tire performances in service and tire structural properties have not been clarified sufficiently due to analytical and experimental difficulties. In this paper, establishing a spring support ring model made of a composite belt ring and a Voigt type viscoelastic spring system of the sidewall and the tread rubber, we analyze the one-dimensional contact pressure distribution of a running tire at speeds of up to 60 km/h. The predicted distribution of the contact pressure under appropriate values of damping coefficients of rubber is shown to be in good agreement with experimental results. It is confirmed by this study that increasing velocity causes the pressure to rise at the leading edge of the contact patch, accompanied by the lowered pressure at the trailing edge, and further a slight movement of the contact area in the forward direction.


1995 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kagami ◽  
T. Akasaka ◽  
H. Shiobara ◽  
A. Hasegawa

Abstract The contact deformation of a radial tire with a camber angle, has been an important problem closely related to the cornering characteristics of radial tires. The analysis of this problem has been considered to be so difficult mathematically in describing the asymmetric deformation of a radial tire contacting with the roadway, that few papers have been published. In this paper, we present an analytical approach to this problem by using a spring bedded ring model consisting of sidewall spring systems in the radial, the lateral, and the circumferential directions and a spring bed of the tread rubber, together with a ring strip of the composite belt. Analytical solutions for each belt deformation in the contact and the contact-free regions are connected by appropriate boundary conditions at both ends. Galerkin's method is used for solving the additional deflection function defined in the contact region. This function plays an important role in determining the contact pressure distribution. Numerical calculations and experiments are conducted for a radial tire of 175SR14. Good agreement between the predicted and the measured results was obtained for two dimensional contact pressure distribution and the camber thrust characterized by the camber angle.


1995 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. H. Sakai

Abstract The contact conditions of a tire with the road surface have a close relationship to various properties of the tire and are among the most important characteristics in evaluating the performance of the tire. In this research, a new measurement device was developed that allows the contact stress distribution to be quantified and visualized. The measuring principle of this device is that the light absorption at the interface between an optical prism and an evenly ground or worn rubber surface is a function of contact pressure. The light absorption can be measured at a number of points on the surface to obtain the pressure distribution. Using this device, the contact pressure distribution of a rubber disk loaded against a plate was measured. It was found that the pressure distribution was not flat but varied greatly depending upon the height and diameter of the rubber disk. The variation can be explained by a “spring” effect, a “liquid” effect, and an “edge” effect of the rubber disk. Next, the measurement and image processing techniques were applied to a loaded tire. A very high definition image was obtained that displayed the true contact area, the shape of the area, and the pressure distribution from which irregular wear was easily detected. Finally, the deformation of the contact area and changes in the pressure distribution in the tread rubber block were measured when a lateral force was applied to the loaded tire.


1992 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-249
Author(s):  
Shigeru KAGAMI ◽  
Takashi AKASAKA ◽  
Atsushi HASEGAWA

2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Hooke ◽  
G. E. Morales-Espejel

A method of determining the response of elastohydrodynamic line contacts to low amplitude, sinusoidal variations in load is presented. It is shown that the load variations alter the Hertz width, cyclically increasing and reducing the effective entrainment velocity. This produces clearance variations in the inlet, which are transported through the conjunction altering the pressure distribution as they pass. The resulting pressure and clearance changes can be many times greater than when the load changes slowly. The results are used to determine the flexibility and damping of the conjunctions. These vary depending on the number of transported waves inside the contact. It is shown that a Maxwell model rather than the usual Voigt model is required to define the contact's behavior. While the Voigt model may be used at low frequencies, it has a damping coefficient that is not unique to the contact but depends on the total system stiffness.


2007 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 761-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Nélias ◽  
Eduard Antaluca ◽  
Vincent Boucly ◽  
Spiridon Cretu

A three-dimensional numerical model based on a semianalytical method in the framework of small strains and small displacements is presented for solving an elastic-plastic contact with surface traction. A Coulomb’s law is assumed for the friction, as commonly used for sliding contacts. The effects of the contact pressure distribution and residual strain on the geometry of the contacting surfaces are derived from Betti’s reciprocal theorem with initial strain. The main advantage of this approach over the classical finite element method (FEM) is the computing time, which is reduced by several orders of magnitude. The contact problem, which is one of the most time-consuming procedures in the elastic-plastic algorithm, is obtained using a method based on the variational principle and accelerated by means of the discrete convolution fast Fourier transform (FFT) and conjugate gradient methods. The FFT technique is also involved in the calculation of internal strains and stresses. A return-mapping algorithm with an elastic predictor∕plastic corrector scheme and a von Mises criterion is used in the plasticity loop. The model is first validated by comparison with results obtained by the FEM. The effect of the friction coefficient on the contact pressure distribution, subsurface stress field, and residual strains is also presented and discussed.


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