Stability of thermoelastic contact for a rectangular elastic block sliding against a rigid wall

In this note, we determine the stability boundary for the thermoelastic contact of a rectangular elastic block sliding against a rigid wall in the presence of a pressure-dependent thermal contact resistance. This geometry can be seen as intermediate between the idealized ‘Aldo’ rod model and continuum solutions for the elastic half-plane. The solution is obtained by comparing the expression for the perturbed boundary condition including frictional heating with that for purely static loading, already solved by Yeo and Barber (1995). The critical sliding speed is obtained as a function of the temperature difference imposed between the wall and the free end. In most cases, frictional heating tends to destabilize the system. However, for certain forms of the resistance-pressure law, the opposite conclusion is reached and the system can be stable for all sliding speeds.  2004 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.