Modeling of combined slip and finite sliding at spherical grain contacts

Abstract

The present paper is aimed at developing the analytical description of the interaction of two contacting spheres for several classes of slip and sliding trajectories, typical in the experimental testing. The analysis accounts for memory effects in the slip regime and configurational effects in the sliding regime, expressed in terms of an active loading surface and memory surfaces within the space of contact forces. Analytical relations for contact response are derived for linear and piecewise-linear motion trajectories of the sphere. The problem of multiple contact interaction of the sphere moving over the regularly packed granular bed is also considered analytically. It is demonstrated that the dual contact activation-separation processes occur within the combined slip–sliding modes, essentially affecting the distribution of contact tractions. The results obtained are relevant for the class of contact problems requiring analysis of interaction of slip and sliding displacements, in particular in testing grain contact interaction aimed at specification of elastic, frictional and wear parameters.