Effects of surface forces and surface roughness on squeeze thin film of elastohydrodynamic lubricated spherical conjunction

ABSTRACT The pure squeeze thin film elastohydrodynamic lubrication motion of circular contacts with effects of surface forces and surface roughness taken into account is explored under constant load conditions. The coupled transient stochastic Reynolds, elasticity deformation, the load balance, surface forces (hydrodynamic, solvation and van der Waals pressure) and lubricant rheology equations were solved simultaneously by using the finite difference method and the Gauss–Seidel iteration method. The simulation results reveal that the differences between radial type roughness and circular type roughness problems are apparent as the film thickness is thinner than 5 nm. The oscillation phenomena in pressure and film thickness come mainly from the action of solvation forces. The effects of surface forces become significant as the film thickness becomes thinner. The film thickness with circular type roughness is thicker than that with radial type roughness. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.