A new microcontact model developed for variable fractal dimension, topothesy, density of asperity, and probability density function of asperity heights

In the present study, the fractal theory is applied to modify the conventional model (the Greenwood and Williamson model) established in the statistical form for the microcontacts of two contact surfaces. The mean radius of curvature (R) and the density of asperities (η) are no longer taken as constants, but taken as variables as functions of the related parameters including the fractal dimension (D), the topothesy (G), and the mean separation of two contact surfaces. The fractal dimension and the topothesy varied by differing the mean separation of two contact surfaces are completely obtained from the theoretical model. Then the mean radius of curvature and the density of asperities are also varied by differing the mean separation. A numerical scheme is thus developed to determine the convergent values of the fractal dimension and topothesy corresponding to a given mean separation. The topographies of a surface obtained from the theoretical prediction of different separations show the probability density function of asperity heights to be no longer the Gaussian distribution. Both the fractal dimension and the topothesy are elevated by increasing the mean separation. The density of asperities is reduced by decreasing the mean separation. The contact load and the total contact area results predicted by variable D, G*, and η as well as non-Gaussian distribution are always higher than those forecast with constant D, G*. η, and Gaussian distribution.