A thermal creep model for the contact of nominally flat surfaces: Jeffreysʹ linear visco-elastic model

This work considers the mechanics of contact of thermo-visco-elastic materials. In particular the creep behavior of a nominally flat rough surface in contact with a rigid half space is studied. The rough surface is modeled using fractal geometry. A synthesized profile, a Cantor structure, is utilized to model the surface. Such a profile has two scaling parameters and different heights for each generation of asperities. The effect of temperature will be included through the concept of activation energy using the Arrhenius equation. jective of this model is to study the normal creep approach of the surface (punch) as a function of the applied creep load, time, and temperature. The material of the punch is assumed to behave according to Jeffreysʹ model. Such a model is an arrangement of springs and dashpots in parallel and/or in series. eep approach of linearly visco-elastic materials is explored using elastic–visco-elastic correspondence analysis. An asymptotic power law is obtained, which relates the force and the bulk temperature acting on the punch to its approach. This model is valid only when the approach between the punch and the half space is in the range of the roughness size. The proposed model admits an analytical solution for the case when the deformation is linear thermo-visco-elastic. The obtained model shows a good agreement when compared with experimental results from literature.