Contact Stresses and Deformation Application

7-1

Curved Surfaces in Contact

• The theoretical contact area of two spheres is a point (=
0-dimensional)
• The theoretical contact area of two parallel cylinders is a
line (= 1-dimensional)
→ As a result, the pressure between two curved surfaces should be
infinite
→ The infinite pressure at the contact should cause immediate
yielding of both surfaces
• In reality, a small contact area is being created through
elastic deformation, thereby limiting the stresses
considerably
• These contact stresses are called Hertz contact stresses

7-2

1
 Curved Surfaces in Contact – Examples

Linear bearings (ball and rollers)

Rotary ball bearing

Rotary roller bearing

7-3

Curved Surfaces in Contact – Examples (contd.)

Ball screw Gears

7-4

2
 Spheres in Contact
z The radius of the contact area is
given by:
F
⎡1 −ν 12 1 −ν 22 ⎤
3F ⎢ +
E2 ⎥⎦
y
Z = 0:
a=3 ⎣ E1
Sphere 1
⎛1 1 ⎞
R1
x E 1,
4⎜⎜ + ⎟⎟
1

pmax 2a
2a
⎝ R1 R2 ⎠
Circular contact area, y
resulting in a semi-elliptic Where E1 and E2 are the moduli of
pressure distribution pmax
R2 elasticity for spheres 1 and 2 and ν1
E 2,
and ν2 are the Poisson’s ratios,
2
respectively
The maximum contact pressure at
Sphere 2 the center of the circular contact
x area is:
3F
pmax =
F 2πa 2
7-5

Spheres in Contact (contd.)

• The equations for two spheres in contact are also valid
for:
– Sphere on a flat plate (a flat plate is a sphere with an infinitely
large radius)
– Sphere in a spherical groove (a spherical groove is a sphere with
a negative radius)
z

y
Z = 0: F
x

pmax 2a R1
E1, 1

2a
y

E2, 2
Flat plate
(R2 = ∞)

7-6

3
 Spheres in Contact – Principal Stresses
The principal stresses σ1, σ2, and σ3 are generated on the z-axis:
⎡ ⎤
⎢ ⎥
⎛ a⎞ 1
σ 1 = σ 2 = σ x = σ y = − pmax ⎢(1 +ν )⎜⎜1 − arctan ⎟⎟ −
z ⎥
⎢ ⎝ a z ⎠ 2⎜ + 1⎟ ⎥
⎛ z 2
⎞
⎢ ⎜ a2 ⎟ ⎥
⎣ ⎝ ⎠⎦
−1
⎛ z2 ⎞
σ 3 = σ z = − pmax ⎜⎜ 2 + 1⎟⎟
⎝a ⎠

The principal shear stresses are found as:

σ1 − σ 3
τ 1 = τ 2 = τ max = τ3 = 0
2

7-7

Spheres in Contact – Vertical Stress Distribution at

Center of Contact Area
σ, τ
1

Von Mises
0.8
Ratio of stress to pmax

σz
0.6 Plot shows
material with
σX, σy Poisson’s
0.4 ratio ν = 0.3

τmax
0.2

0 z
0 0.5a a 1.5a 2a 2.5a 3a
Depth below contact area

• The maximum shear and Von Mises stress are reached below the contact
area
• This causes pitting where little pieces of material break out of the surface

7-8

4
 Cylinders in Contact
The half-width b of the rectangular
contact area of two parallel cylinders is
F found as:
E1, ν 1
z
⎡1 −ν 12 1 −ν 22 ⎤
4F ⎢ +
⎣ E1 E2 ⎥⎦
b=
⎛1 1 ⎞
E2, ν 2 πL⎜⎜ + ⎟⎟
R1 pmax
L ⎝ 1
R R2 ⎠

2b
Where E1 and E2 are the moduli of
elasticity for cylinders 1 and 2 and ν1
x y and ν2 are the Poisson’s ratios,
respectively. L is the length of contact.
R2 F
The maximum contact pressure along
the center line of the rectangular
contact area is:
Rectangular contact area
with semi-elliptical pressure 2F
pmax =
distribution πbL
7-9

Cylinders in Contact (contd.)

• The equations for two cylinders in contact are also valid
for:
– Cylinder on a flat plate (a flat plate is a cylinder with an infinitely
large radius)
– Cylinder in a cylindrical groove (a cylindrical groove is a cylinder
with a negative radius)

Rectangular contact F E1, ν1 Rectangular contact

area with semi- z
elliptical pressure area with semi-elliptical
pressure distribution F E1, ν1
distribution
z

R1
E2, ν 2
pmax
L Rg
E2, ν2
2b R1 L
pmax

x y
2b
Flat plate Cylindrical groove
(R2 = ? ) (R2 = -Rg)
x F
F y

7-10

5
 Cylinders in Contact – Principal Stresses
The principal stresses σ1, σ2, and σ3 are generated on the z-axis:

⎡ z2 z⎤
σ 1 = σ x = −2νpmax ⎢ 2
+1 − ⎥
⎣⎢ b b ⎦⎥

⎡⎛ ⎛ z 2 ⎞ −1 ⎞ z 2 z⎤
σ 2 = σ y = − pmax ⎢⎜ 2 − ⎜⎜ 2 + 1⎟⎟ ⎟ 2 + 1 − 2 ⎥
⎢⎜⎝ ⎝ b ⎠ ⎟⎠ b b⎥
⎣ ⎦
−1
⎡ z2 ⎤
σ 3 = σ z = − pmax ⎢ 2 + 1⎥
⎢⎣ b ⎥⎦

σ 2 −σ3 σ1 − σ 3 σ1 − σ 2
τ1 = , τ2 = , τ3 =
2 2 2

7-11

Cylinders in Contact – Vertical Stress Distribution

along Centerline of Contact Area
σ, τ
1

σy Von Mises
0.8

Plot shows
Ratio of stress to pm ax

σz
0.6 material with
σx Poisson’s ratio
ν = 0.3
0.4

0.2
τ1

0 z
0 0.5b b 1.5b 2b 2.5b 3b
Depth below contact area

• The maximum shear and Von Mises stress are reached below the contact
area
• This causes pitting where little pieces of material break out of the surface

7-12

6
 Sphere vs. Cylinder – Von Mises Stress
Sphere vs. Cylinder - Von Mises Stress
9
2.5 .10
Dia 10 mm sphere (steel) on flat plate (steel)
Dia 10 mm x 0.5 mm cylinder on flat plate (s teel)
9
2 .10

Von Mises Stress [Pa]

9
1.5 .10

9
1 .10

8
5 .10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100

Contact F orce [N]

• The Von Mises stress does not increase linearly with the contact force
• The point contact of a sphere creates significantly larger stresses than the
line contact of a cylinder

7-13

Effects of Contact Stresses - Fatigue

7-14

7
 Elastic Deformation of Curved Surfaces

The displacement of the centers of two spheres is given by:

2 1
⎡ ⎛ 1 −ν 12 1 −ν 22 ⎞⎤ 3 ⎡ 1 ⎛ 1 1 ⎞⎤
3
δ s = 1.04 ⎢ F ⎜⎜ + ⎟⎟⎥ ⎢ ⎜⎜ + ⎟⎟⎥
⎣ ⎝ E1 E2 ⎠⎦ ⎣ 2 ⎝ R1 R2 ⎠⎦

The displacement of the centers of two cylinders is given by:

With ν1 = ν2 = ν, and E1 = E2 = E:

δc =
(
2 F 1 −ν 2 ⎛ 2 )
4R 4R ⎞
⎜ + ln 1 + ln 2 ⎟
πLE ⎝ 3 b b ⎠

Note that the center displacements are highly nonlinear functions of the load

7-15

Sphere vs. Cylinder – Center Displacement

Sphere vs. Cylinder - Center Displacement
6
5 .10
Dia 10 mm sphere (steel) on flat plate (steel)
Dia 10 mm x 0.5 mm cylinder (steel) on flat plate (steel)
6
4 .10
Center Displacement [m]

6
3 .10

6
2 .10

6
1 .10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100

Contact F orce [N]

• The point contact of a sphere creates significantly larger

center displacements than the line contact of a cylinder
7-16

8
 Sphere vs. Cylinder – Stiffness
Sphere vs. Cylinder - Stiffness
7
4 .10
Dia 10 mm sphere (steel) on flat plate (steel)
Dia 10 mm x 0.5 mm cylinder (steel) on flat plate (steel)

7
3 .10
Stiffness [N/m]

7
2 .10

7
1 .10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100

Contact F orce [N]

• The point contact of a sphere creates significantly lower

stiffness than the line contact of a cylinder
7-17

Effects of Material Combinations

• The maximum contact pressure between two curved
surfaces depends on:
– Type of curvature (sphere vs. cylinder)
– Radius of curvature
– Magnitude of contact force
– Elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio of contact surfaces
• Through careful material pairing, contact stresses may
be lowered

7-18

9
 Contact Pressure Depending on Material
Combination
9 10 mm Sphere on Flat Plate(Steel)
2 .10
Tungsten (E = 655 GPa, ν = 0.2)
Steel (E = 207 GPa, ν = 0.3)
Bronze (E = 117 GPa, ν = 0.35)
Titanium (E = 110 GPa, ν = 0.31)
1.5 .10
9 Aluminum (E = 71 GPa, ν = 0.33)
Acrylic Thermoplastic(E = 2.8 GPa, ν = 0.4)
Maximum pressure [Pa]

9
1 .10

8
5 .10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Contact force [N]

• Materials with a lower modulus will experience larger

deformations, resulting in a lower contact pressure
7-19

Center Displacement Depending on Material

Combination
5
10 mm Sphere on Flat Plate (Steel)
4 . 10
Tungsten (E = 655 GPa , ν = 0.2)
Steel (E = 207 GPa, ν = 0.3)
Bronze (E = 117 GPa, ν = 0.35)
Titanium (E = 110 GPa, ν = 0.31)
3 . 10
5 Aluminum (E = 71 GPa, ν = 0.33)
Acrylic Thermoplastic (E = 2.8 GPa, ν = 0.4)
Center Displacement [m]

5
2 . 10

5
1 . 10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Contact force [N]

7-20

10