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Modelling non-uniform deformation of human skin in multi-asperity contact

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Abstract

Human skin possesses complex deformation behaviour in multi-asperity contact. The deformation interaction under multi-asperity contact is prodigious in the skin contact model, must not be neglected. The phenomenon of non-uniform deformation has to be taken into account in order to properly and accurately develop a contact behaviour model of human skin. In this paper, one tribological model of contact behavior of human skin is developed with the concern of non-uniformation deformation behaviour under multi-asperity contact. Hertz, and DMT based theories were optimized for expatiating upon the tribological interaction between the human skin and the product surface. The model has been utilized to analyze the skin in multi-asperity contact. Results from FEM deformation simulation validated that deformation interaction between asperities is one of the important controlling factors which influences the deformation behaviour of skin in multi-asperity contact. Whilst asperities spacing was decreased, deformation interference was strongly noticed, and multi-asperity contact points were interfering adjacent deformation regime in irregular manner causing non-uniform deformation of skin. Furthermore, the total contact area tended to decrease when lambda spacing decreased.

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Abbreviations

a :

Radius of the contact area (m)

A :

Area of contact (m2)

E :

YOUNG’S modulus (Pa)

E* :

Reduced Young’s modulus (Pa)

\( F_{adh} \) :

Adhesion force (N)

\( F_{N} \) :

Applied normal load (N)

\( h_{i} \) :

Height of an individual asperity (m)

δ:

Indentation depth, deformation (m)

N :

Total number of the asperities in contact

R :

Radius of asperity (m)

λ :

Spacing between asperities (m)

δ :

Deformation due to the contact (m)

\( \nu \) :

Poisson’s ratio

\( \tau_{0} \) :

Shear strength of the interface (Pa)

\( \beta \) :

Viscoelastic loss fraction

\( \beta_{ve} \) :

Viscoelastic hysteresis

\( \Delta \gamma \) :

Surface energy (N/m)

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities (S1411010) from Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Special thanks to Prof. Emile van der Heide from University of Twente for patient and scholarly discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University, 4-1-1 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, 259-1292, Japan

    Sheng Zhang

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  1. Sheng Zhang
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Correspondence to Sheng Zhang.

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Zhang, S. Modelling non-uniform deformation of human skin in multi-asperity contact. Microsyst Technol 24, 3381–3388 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-018-3705-9

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