The elastohydrodynamic lubrication of point contacts at heavy loads

Abstract

A method of solving the elastohydrodynamic point contact problem at heavy loads is presented. Earlier solutions based upon straightforward iterative techniques have been restricted to relatively light loads. The present method makes use of the inverse solution of the two-dimensional Reynolds equation and is similar in principle to the well known line contact elastohydrodynamic solution of Dowson and Higginson. The method is applicable to the heavily loaded point contacts found in engineering practice. Material combinations of steel–glass and steel–steel have been considered and results have been obtained at maximum Hertzian pressures of 0.7 GPa and 1.4 GPa respectively. Solutions are presented showing the effect of speed and the influence of the pressure coefficient of viscosity of the lubricant on film thickness and pressure distributions at these heavy loads.