On the shear stress of elastohydrodynamic lubrication in elliptical contacts

Results of mathematical modelling of elastohydrodynamic lubrication of rolling contacts are presented. Effects of dimensionless parameters such as speed, normal load, elliptical parameters and coefficient of limiting shear stress on shear stress distributions have been studied. Moreover, profiles on hydrodynamic pressure and film thickness in EHD contacts have been studied. It has been found that shear stress profiles on two contact surfaces in entraining direction are similar with each other in some way. Shear stresses of fluid film on contact surfaces vary with many factors, which reveals the mechanism of traction in elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts.