Two Temperature Gradients Model for Friction Failure

Abstract

A model of friction interaction between two surfaces is based on considerations of discrete microscopic asperities at the surface. This model establishes the existence of two temperature gradients in the material: a weak one (10 °K/cm) in the bulk, and a very strong one (106 °K/cm) at the surface. A large number of cases of friction failures, which could not be explained by the classical continuum model; are easily interpreted by the two gradient model. It also becomes clear that the continuum model and the two gradient model are opposite extreme cases, with a whole spectrum of intermediate cases between them.