Calculating Hertzian
Stresses,
Deformations, and
Contact Zone
Parameters
Emil W. Deeg
AMP Incorporated
d
Reference 2, pp. 155-157 is preferred here because of the more concise formu-
a
This study distinguishes conceptually and experimentally between friction under lation than that given in reference 1. Secondary assumptions of importance are
load and maximum safe load. The mechanics of electrical connections make a identified in the text below.
e
similar distinction. Whittemores report, if consulted and interpreted properly, According to Hertz2, this assumption is the result of expanding around the
will add valuable information to the ongoing discussion. point of contact the equations of the contacting surfaces and neglecting higher
b
Whittemore credits Dr. L. B. Tuckerrnan for preparing the table of coefficients than second-order terms.
f
for Hertzs theory. To this statement should be added as commonly used by mechanical engineers
c
Although restricted to contacts sphere/sphere and sphere/p late, respectively, during the late 19th century.
g
these papers provide essential input to the ongoing discussion on applicability of Hertz calls this force Gesamtdruck (total pressure), which according to todays
Hertzs theory to connector mechanics. terminology leads to a dimensionally incorrect end result for the contact stress,
h
For a summary of Symbols and abbreviations, see Table 2.
k
These statements introduce the requirement that inside the contact zone
deformations in the z-direction are small compared to the body dimension in
this direction.
1
P is the potential of an ellipsoidal shell of zero thickness and zero extension in
i the z-direction (principal semiaxis c = 0), The justification given in reference 1
Hertz uses Kirchhoffs elastic constants. For this paper they were converted to
the now commonly accepted Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio. cannot hide its axiomatic introduction. A concise review of potentials of
j
This approach follows Hertzs earlier article. i In the later one, Hertz derives ellipsoids, still written in a form that provides access to their use by Hertzs
explicit equations for the surfaces yielding equations (5a) and (5b).2 contemporaries, is given by R von Mises.20
with
m
These proofs can be carried out without difficulties and are not repeated here.
Frequently used is 2 P = O. To facilitate understanding of the features of the
theory this paper concentrates on the derivation of the final formulas.
n
it is
General Remarks
To use Hertzs theory in todays environment it is essential
and to describe by a condensed code the set of geometric pa-
rameters of the system to be modelled. This is particularly
important for systematic studies of ordered or random
and
r
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REFERENCES
1. H. Hertz, ber die Berhrung fester elastischer
Krper, Gesammelte Werke (P. Lenard, ed.), Bd. 1,
(J.A. Barth, Leipzig, 1895) pp. 155-173. Originally pub-
lished in Journal f. d. reine u. angewandte Mathematik
92,156-171 (1881).
9. E.A. Kantner and L.D. Hobgood, Hertz stress as an 25. C. Hastings, Jr., Approximations for Digital Computers,
indicator of connector reliability, Connection Tech- (Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton).
nology, 5, 14-22 (March 1989).
26. L.W. Johnson and R.D. Riess, Numerical Analysis, 2nd
10. R. Mroczkowski, Concerning "Hertz Stress as a Con- ed., 323 (Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1982).
nector Design Parameter, Order No. 82818 (AMP Incor-
porated, Harrisburg, PA, 1991).
Emil W. Deeg recently retired from his position as Project
11 H.S. Fluss, Hertzian stress as a predictor of contact Manager, Technology at AMP Incorporated in Harrisburg,
reliability, Connection Technology, 6, 12-21 (Dec. Pennsylvania. He is a consultant for the Company.
1990).
Dr. Deeg holds a physics diploma and a Dr. rer. nat.
12. E.W. Deeg and T. Bolhaar, Contact zone and Hertz- (magna cum laude) from Julius-Maximilians-Universitaet,
ian stress in fiber-optic connections with spherical or with thesis work at the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Silikat-
ellipsoidal fiber endfaces, AMP Journ. of Technol., 2, forschung in Wuerzburg, West Germany. As original con-
29-41 (1992). tributor and throughout his more than 25-year career as
R&D manager and executive for several international cor-
13. E.W. Deeg, Effect of elastic properties of ferrule ma- porations he authored or co-authored more than 70 articles
terials on fiber-optic physical contact (PC) connec- in physics, ceramics, glass science and engineering, and a
tions, AMP Journ. of Technol., 1,25-31 (1991). book on glass in the laboratory. He holds over 40 patents in
the same fields. Dr. Deeg served as a member of the Inter-
14. F. Heerwagen, Kugellager, Erfahrungen aus dem Be- national Commission on Glass (19631981, offices held), as
triebe und Beitrge zur Theorie. Zeitschr, Ver. Dtsch. a member of the International Commission for Optics
Ingen., 45, 1701-1705 (1901). (19641966), and as a consultant to the NASA Spacelab
Program (19711978). He is a fellow of the American Ce-
15. H.L. Whittemore and S.N. Petrenko, Friction and carry ramic Society, was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Engi-
ing capacity of ball and roller bearings, Technol. Paper neering, Science and Technology, and is listed in Whos
Natl. Bureau of Standards No. 201, 18 (Governmt. Who in the Worldj Whos Who in Finance and Industry, and
Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1921). other biographical publications. Dr. Deeg joined AMP in
1984 as Project Manager, Materials Engineering.
16. E.W. Deeg, Unpublished, 1970/76.