Analysis of the Energy Balance of Friction on the Rolling Contact

The state of elastic rolling of the wheel is considered as a special manifestation of the highly developed evolution of the plastic contact of rolling friction. It is shown that for the material point of contact of smooth rolling surfaces, their initial elasticity forms a pair of elastic roughnesses – the sliding friction model. The Carter's diagram is analyzed and its interpretation is given as an analog of the metal tension curve. This diagram is transformed to a structural-energy diagram of the sliding friction coefficient (evolution) of the rubbing surfaces. The conclusion is made about the mutual generality of the Carter's equation and the equation of the energy balance of friction. The evolution of the structure of the rolling contact to the ideal nano-state, adequate to the state of the ideal solid, is justified. The possibility of the existence of an almost ideal thermodynamic cycle at the rolling contact and the maximum efficiency of the energy transformation is shown. In this state, we make up one mechanical (nano) quantum of the self-organized dynamic dissipative structure of the elementary friction contact with minimal contact shift (creep). This actually determines the real performance characteristics of the heavy-loaded Hertz contact of real engineering systems.