Visualization of Flash Temperature at Frictional Contact During High-Velocity Sliding

Abstract

  Recent experiments conducted at sub-seismic to seismic sliding velocities (mm/s to m/s) show the dramatic weakening in the friction coefficient for a wide variety of rock types due to mechanochemical effects by frictional heating. Consequently, several weakening mechanisms have been proposed depending on the type of rock specimens. Some of them are based on the sample observation and analysis after experiments. Direct observation of frictional contacts during an experiment is indisputable to constrain an elementary process at frictional contacts during slip. In this paper, we show the direct visualization of temperature distribution of frictional interface during the high-velocity friction experiment at slip velocity of 1m/s.