Edge Changes in Contacts and Joints to Reduce High Localized Shear Traction, Microslip, and Fretting

Contacts and joints in structures, mechanisms, and dynamic systems often exhibit high localized interface shear at their edges, leading to edge microslip and fretting wear and fatigue. This introduces complexity, nonlinearity, and multiscale friction phenomena. This paper presents a novel approach to address this issue by introducing geometrical changes near contact edges. Two-dimensional contact models are developed and analyzed using asymptotic, closed-form, and numerical methods to study the effect of edge changes on pressure and shear traction. The results show that geometric changes near contact edges can effectively reduce contact edge shear, thereby inhibiting edge microslip and the resulting fretting wear and fatigue in contacts that occur under dynamic conditions. This approach has implications for reduced complexity in contacts and joints for improved capability in modeling, analysis, and measurement characterization.