Analysis of Plasto-Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication in Point Contacts

The mixed lubrication model in point contacts was developed in the present study, then the plastic strain was obtained by using iteration method according to the distributed subsurface stress. Treating the plastic strain as eigenstrain, the residual stress can be calculated by using the way that disturbed stress caused by eigenstrain in a half space, then the surface plastic deformation was calculated using semi-analytical method according to the plastic strain. Results indicate that the present model were accurate and efficient in the plasticity module and plastoelastohydrodynamic lubrication module. The present model can deal with lubrication with real machined rough surfaces. Besides, the present model can be used to simulate the entire spectrum of lubrication regimes, from full-film and mixed lubrication down to boundary lubrication and dry contact. As the rolling speed decreased, the average film thickness decreased, transition from the full film lubrication to mixed lubrication and finally to dry contact was found.