Contact mechanics modelling of surface engineered systems.

Abstract

The ever-increasing demands for combined properties in modern machinery operating under ever more severe conditions have been the driver for the rapid developments of many advances surface engineering technologies. Designers thus have many surface engineering technologies to select from in the design of components. However, it also presents challenges to designers to select an optimal surface engineering process for a specific application. To this end, a contact mechanics model has been developed based on modern theories of multilayered surface contact, taking into account the multilayered structure, real surface roughness and friction effects. With this model, the performance of surface engineered components can be successfully predicted. In this paper, the development of Hertz contact theory is first reviewed, the Birmingham multilayered real rough surface contact mechanical model is discussed and a number of major steps towards designing dynamically loaded surface engineered components are demonstrated by case studies.