Abstract
The mechanisms of contact and friction between two rough surfaces are analyzed, assuming that the asperities with which the surfaces are covered, at least near their summits, are spherical and they are contacted elastically one another.
The main results obtained are as follows :
(1) The real contact area and the number of contact spots are approximately proportional to the load, but the mean area of contact spots and the mean pressure at the contact areas are almost independent of it.
(2) The frictional force F is nearly equal to s·Ar, where s is the shearing strength at the contact areas and Ar is the real contact area.
