Pressure Dependent Rubber Friction Model

In a study conducted at the Center for Tire Research (CenTiRe), Persson’s friction model was reproduced. Persson’s friction model is a novel approach which develops a contact mechanics model by considering the influence of substrate roughness and change in rubber material properties. The results accomplished were considering the fact that the friction coefficient is independent of contact pressure distribution (a constant pressure distribution was assumed). Studies on rubber friction show that the pressure variation at the contact will affect the material behavior of the rubber contact and actual contact area as a result of frictional heating at the interface. This paper discusses modification of the original model by including a parabolic pressure distribution in order to determine the influence of pressure on the friction coefficient.