A COMPARISON OF ELASTIC AND PLASTIC CONTACT MODELS FOR THE PREDICTION OF THERMAL CONTACT CONDUCTANCE

Experimentally determined thermal contact resistance (conductance) data are compared with predictions based on two different theories. One of the theories assumes elastic contact, while the other theory is based on the assumption of plastic contact. Even though the high plastic index calculated for the contacting surface suggested that contacting asperities would deform plastically, the experimental data generally agree better with the predictions obtained using the elastic contact model than with the predictions obtained using the plastic contact model.