Thermo-mechanical contact between a rigid sphere and an elastic-plastic sphere

The mechanical and thermal response of a rigid sphere sliding over an elastic-plastic sphere with radius larger than that of the rigid sphere, namely, plowing contact model, are investigated using a finite element method. Dimensionless solutions for the maximum values of contact force, friction force, contact area, residual interference, and interfacial temperature rise are obtained as a function of dimensionless contact time. A detailed comparison is performed with the results between the plowing contact model and the flattening contact model in which an elastic-plastic sphere flattened by a rigid sphere with radius larger than that of the elastic-plastic sphere.