The effect of friction reduction in the presence of in-plane vibrations

A reduction of friction by vibrations has been observed in various experiments. This effect can be applied to actively control frictional forces by modulating vibrations. Moreover, common methods of controlling friction rely on lubricants and suitable material combinations. The superimposition of vibrations can further reduce the friction force. This study presents a theoretical approach based on the Dahl friction model that describes the friction reduction observed in the presence of the tangential vibrations at an arbitrary angle. Analysis results indicated that the tangential compliance should be considered in modeling the effect of vibrations in reducing friction. At any vibration angle, the tangential compliance of the contacts reduces the friction reduction effect. The vibrations parallel to the macroscopic velocity are most effective for friction reduction.