A comparative study of fractal dimension calculation methods for rough surface profiles

Fractal dimension is the most important parameter for surface characterization. In this paper, four methods used to estimate the fractal dimensions of surface profiles and their applications in machined surfaces are studied. These methods are first evaluated using surface profiles created by Weierstrass-Mandelbrot function from the three aspects of fitting accuracy, calculation accuracy and calculation stability, and then applied to the machined rough surfaces. By comparing the results of the four methods, it is found that none of the methods is particularly prominent in all of the three aspects. However, the three point sinuosity method is found to be relatively the most suitable and reliable method among the four tested methods for extracting fractal dimensions of both generated and measured rough surface profiles.