The Causes of Asymmetric Deformation of Surface Roughness Asperities in Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Contacts

Abstract This paper provides the main causes of asymmetric or directional deformation of surface roughness based on a transient non-Newtonian thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model, where the contact materials have different thermal conductivities and elastic moduli. In order to obtain the actual shape of the surface asperity, the surface shapes of contact bodies are evaluated separately. It is clarified that the asymmetric deformation of the asperities appears due to two causes. One depends on the slide-roll ratio (SRR) and the difference in thermal conductivity between contact materials, and the other is caused by the contact pressure between the asperities through the oil film.