Experimental study of the circular contact at impact loading

The transient contact between a steel ball and a metal plate is experimentally studied. The main aim of this research is to determine and to discuss the values of the contact pressure for different conditions of thermal treatment, roughness and lubrication. It is presented the impact test rig and the measuring devices that has been used to carry out the study. The steel sample is frontal bumped by a ballistic pendulum having a steel ball as contacting part. Due to auxiliary devices, one may simultaneously record the force, acceleration and total impact duration. Thus, it was made an analysis about the influence of the surface microgeometry, thermal treatment and lubrication on the contact pressure.