ELASTOPLASTIC FINITE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF 3-DIMENSIONAL, PURE ROLLING-CONTACT AT THE SHAKEDOWN LIMIT

This paper describes a three-dimensional elastoplastic finite element model of repeated, frictionless rolling contact. The model treats a sphere rolling on an elastic-perfectly plastic and an elastic-linear-kinematic-hardening plastic, semi-infinite half space. The calculations are for a relative peak pressure (P0/k) = 4.68 (the theoretical shakedown limit for perfect plasticity). Three-dimensional rolling contact is simulated by repeatedly translating a hemispherical (Hertzian) pressure distribution across an elastoplastic semi-infinite half space. The semi-infinite half space is represented by a finite mesh with elastic boundaries. The calculations describe the distortion of the rim, the residual stress-strain distributions, stress-strain histories, and the cyclic plastic strain ranges in the vicinity of the contact. © 1990 by ASME.