Influence of the Pattern of the Coupling of Elements and the Sliding Layer Thickness of the Spherical Bearing on the Structural Behavior

In the study, the behavior of the spherical bearing component of the L-100 bridge part (AlfaTech LLC, Perm, Russia) is considered within the framework of a finite element model. The influence of the pattern of the coupling of the antifriction layer with the lower steel plate on the operation of the part is examined: ideal contact, full adhesion, frictional contact. The thickness of the antifriction layer varied from 4 to 12 mm. The dependencies of the contact parameters and the stress-strain state on the thickness were determined. Structurally modified polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) without AR-200 fillers was considered as the material of the sliding layer. The gradual refinement of the behavior model of the antifriction material to account for structural and relaxation transitions was carried out on the basis of a wide range of experimental studies. In the first approximation, a model of the deformation theory of plasticity with linear elastic volumetric compressibility was identified. As a second approximation, a viscoelasticity model for the Maxwell body was constructed using Prony series. It was established that the viscoelastic model of the material allows for obtaining data on the behavior of the part with an error of no more than 15%. The numerical analog of the construction in an axisymmetric formulation can be used for predictive analysis of the behavior of the bearing, including when changing the geometric configuration.