Static friction coefficient model of joint surface based on the modified fractal model and experimental investigation

It has been widely recognized that there are influences of static friction characteristics in a bolted joint on pre-tightening and service reliability. This study proposed a static friction coefficient model of joint surfaces based on the modified three-dimensional fractal model. A method of measuring the static friction coefficient of joint surfaces was investigated to verify the accuracy of model. The results showed that calculated value of the model and measured value of experiment are highly matched. Furthermore, the influential mechanisms of material, pressure, and surface topography were investigated. The relative error between experimental results and model calculations are all less than 15%. This research provides a theoretical basis for subsequent research on the friction characteristics of joint surfaces and connection reliability of bolted joints.