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Determination of the Friction Coefficients of Icy Pavements Under Different Amounts of Snowfall
Published on: January 6, 2023
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Sliding friction on ice.
N Miyashita1, A E Yakini2,3, W Pyckhout-Hintzen4
1The Yokohama Rubber Company, 2-1 Oiwake, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 254-8601, Japan.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|May 1, 2023
Summary
Friction on ice depends on material and temperature. Rubber friction involves ice fragments and viscoelasticity, while polyethylene and silica glass show plowing effects from ice bumps, especially at low temperatures.
Area of Science:
- Tribology
- Materials Science
- Surface Physics
Background:
- Understanding friction at material-ice interfaces is crucial for applications like winter tires and ice sports.
- Previous studies have explored friction mechanisms but a comprehensive comparison across different materials and conditions is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the friction behavior of rubber, polyethylene, and silica glass sliding on ice across a range of temperatures and speeds.
- To elucidate the dominant friction mechanisms for each material under varying conditions.
Main Methods:
- Sliding friction experiments were conducted using rectangular blocks of rubber (compact and foam), polyethylene (PE), and silica glass (SG) on ice.
- Tests covered temperatures from -40 to 0°C and sliding speeds from 3 μm/s to 1 cm/s.
- Friction forces were measured, and ice surface conditions were visually inspected post-sliding.
Main Results:
- Both rubber compounds showed similar friction, attributed to ice fragment slip at low speeds/temperatures and viscoelastic deformation at higher speeds/near-melting temperatures.
- Polyethylene exhibited low, velocity-dependent friction, increasing towards low speeds near the melting point.
- Silica glass showed low friction above -10°C but very high friction coefficients at lower temperatures due to plowing of ice bumps, creating wear particles.
Conclusions:
- Friction mechanisms on ice are highly material-dependent, involving ice fragmentation, viscoelasticity, and plowing.
- Polyethylene and silica glass friction is significantly influenced by ice surface topography (bumps).
- Rubber's friction is governed by different mechanisms, including viscoelasticity and potential ice fragment slip, with similar behavior observed for both compact and foam rubber.
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