Publications

Development of a New Method to Investigate the Dynamic Friction Behavior of Interfaces Using a Kolsky Tension Bar

Sanborn, Brett S.; Song, Bo S.; Nishida, E.E.

To understand interfacial interaction of a bi-material during an impact loading event, the dynamic friction coefficient is one of the key parameters that must be characterized and quantified. In this study, a new experimental method to determine the dynamic friction coefficient between two metals was developed by using a Kolsky tension bar and a custom-designed friction fixture. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) force sensors were used to measure the normal force applied to the friction tribo pairs and the friction force was measured with conventional Kolsky tension bar method. To evaluate the technique, the dynamic friction coefficient between 4340 steel and 7075-T6 aluminum was investigated at an impact speed of approximately 8 m/s. In addition, the dynamic friction coefficient of the tribo pairs with varied surface roughness was also investigated. The data suggest that higher surface roughness leads to higher friction coefficients at the same speed of 8 m/s.