Modeling the thermal behavior of dry sliding contacts is complex due to nonlinear
thermal boundary conditions and intricate surface interactions. This study
reviews and analyzes various thermal models applicable to dry sliding contacts,
employing finite element analysis-based numerical simulations for model
validation and deeper insights into the system’s physics. The primary goal is to
assess the average contact temperatures in sliding pairs of copper-graphite,
bronze-graphite, and graphite-graphite.
A thermal model is developed, incorporating experimentally measured temperatures
taken 2 mm from the contact point and considering the experimental setup’s
boundary conditions. The temperature distribution in both the pin and the disc
under different loads shows maximum temperatures at the contact point,
decreasing with distance both laterally and in depth, reaching a minimum at the
outer edges. Results show that the highest temperatures are observed at the
contact points, with temperatures decreasing away from these points. The
discussion focuses on the interfacial phenomena during the operation of these
sliding pairs and the numerical calculation results, which highlight significant
variations in temperature distributions and frictional heat generation based on
material pairings and operating conditions.
