Large scale simulation of microscale contact deformation and electric current coupled finite element analysi for electrical contact resistance

Abstract

Electrical contact resistance plays important role in melting and bonding of steel sheets interface for resistance spot welding. Although many researchers have proposed theoretical models of electrical contact resistance, microscale structural and electrical coupled finite element analysis is required to evaluate electrical contact resistance because its characteristics depend on the real contact surface, elasto-plastic large deformation contact behavior, electric current and temperature. In this study, we discuss a microscale structural and electrical coupled finite element analysis for the electrical contact resistance. In this analysis, the structural analysis with elasto-plastic, large deformation and contact effect is performed using measured surface based finite element analysis model and temperature dependent material properties. Deformed shape obtained by the structural analysis is used for the electrical analysis considering temperature dependent electrical resistivity. The electrical contact resistance analyses are performed to discuss the SS–RVE (Statistically Similar Representative Volume Element) size and computational cost, and to confirm the validity of the proposed analysis method. The dependency of the electrical contact resistance on the contact pressure and the temperature are compared with those of Babu's model and experimental results from the viewpoint of these path dependencies.