Fractal Model of Elastic-Plastic Contact Between Rough Surfaces

Roughness measurements by optical interferometry and scanning tunneling microscopy on a magnetic thin-film rigid disk surface have shown that its surface is fractal in nature. This leads to a scale-dependence of statistical parameters such as r.m.s height, slope and curvature, which are extensively used in classical models of contact between rough surfaces. Based on the scale-independent fractal roughness parameters, a new model of contact between isotropic rough surfaces is developed. The model predicts that all contact spots of area smaller than a critical area are in plastic contact. When the load is increased, these plastically deformed spots join to form elastic spots. Using a power-law relation for the fractal size-distribution of contact spots, the model shows that for elastic deformation, the load P and the real area of contact Ar are related as P~Ar(3−D)/2, where D is the fractal dimension of a surface profile which lies between 1 and 2. This result explains the origins of the area exponent which has been the focus of a number of experimental and theoretical studies. For plastic loading, the load and area are linearly related. The size-distribution of spots also suggests that the number of contact spots contributing to a certain fraction of the real area of contact remains independent of load although the spot sizes increase with load. The model shows that the load-area relation and the fraction of the real area of contact in elastic and plastic deformation are quite sensitive to the fractal roughness parameters.