Abstract
The electrical contact resistance between contacting rough surfaces was studied under various compressive stresses. The samples considered here were isotropically roughened aluminium disks with upper and lower surfaces modified through polishing and sand blasting using different sized glass beads. Fractal geometry and roughness descriptors, including root mean square values of roughness and slope, were used to describe the topography of sample surfaces, based on the digitized profiles obtained from interferometry-based profilometry. The electrical contact resistances at the interfaces were obtained by applying a controlled current and measuring the resulting voltage, through the following scenarios: (1) over time for various applied testing currents, the resistance relaxation curves were measured at constant loads; (2) through voltage-current characteristics by means of a logarithmic sweeping current, the influence of the testing current on the electrical response of contacting rough surfaces was evaluated; and (3) for a given testing current, the electrical resistance through interfaces of different surface structures was measured under increasing compressive stresses. The experimental results show that the measured resistance depends closely on the measurement time, testing current, surface topology, and mechanical loading. At stresses from 0.03 to 1.18 MPa, the electrical resistance as a function of applied normal stress is found to follow a power law relation, the exponent of which is closely linked to the surface topology.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support for this research from the Australian Research Council through grants DE130101639 and Civil Engineering Research Development Scheme (CERDS) in the School of Civil Engineering at The University of Sydney is greatly appreciated.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 143 • Issue 3 • March 2017
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 26, 2014
Accepted: Apr 10, 2015
Published online: May 29, 2015
Discussion open until: Oct 29, 2015
Published in print: Mar 1, 2017
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Compression
- Contact mechanics
- Continuum mechanics
- Deformation (mechanics)
- Design (by type)
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Electric power
- Energy engineering
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Fractals
- Geometry
- Hydraulic engineering
- Hydraulic properties
- Hydraulic roughness
- Load and resistance factor design
- Load factors
- Load tests
- Mathematics
- Solid mechanics
- Structural design
- Structural dynamics
- Structural mechanics
- Tests (by type)
- Water and water resources
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