Experimental investigation and trinomial friction modeling of frictional interactions at concrete-rubber interfaces

Using a self-developed friction testing device, this study investigates the frictional properties of four types of tire tread patterns (wavy, rectangular, cross-shaped, and circular) under various working conditions, including sand particle size, load, pavement roughness, and sliding velocity. Results show that the interface frictional behavior exhibits a significant morphology-working condition coupling effect: The wavy pattern demonstrates an obvious stick-slip effect on coarse sand pavements, with the friction force amplitude increased by 60% compared to that under fine sand conditions; The cross-shaped pattern has strong load stability, and its static friction phase is extended by 42% under a 300 g load; The friction coefficient shows a significant positive correlation with pavement roughness. For the rectangular pattern, the friction increase rate reaches 58.9% when Roughness average (Ra) = 81.3 μm; Rate sensitivity exhibits a morphology-dependent characteristic: the friction coefficient of the wavy pattern decreases by 32.8% as velocity increases, while the circular pattern shows a rate-strengthening effect due to its unique contact geometric characteristics, with the viscous force increased by 42.9% at a velocity of 10 mm/min. Subsequently, based on Persson’s contact theory and the Greenwood-Williamson model, a friction prediction model considering tread pattern morphology parameters was established. This model has a prediction error of less than 15% under the following working conditions: velocity (V ≥ 2 mm/min), roughness (Ra ≥ 0.0813 mm), and sand particle size (d = 0.6–0.85 mm).