Topography Measurements Analysis Between Road Surfaces and Their Silicone Replicas

Statistical information on randomly rough surfaces such as roads is a cornerstone in the tribology field since it provides great insights into topics such as contact mechanics modeling, friction and wear prediction, and lubrication strategies. Through statistical information obtained via topography measurements, it is possible to study the interaction of bodies and randomly rough surfaces. Silicone replicas for road surfaces are used because sometimes it takes effort to transport the devices for acquiring road surfaces or it is unfeasible because of cost. Through the Silicone pose, it achieves a negative shape replica of surfaces and it is used to provide the information as a real road. In order to clarify similarities between the real road surface and its silicone replica and if it is possible to perform topological acquisitions of a silicone replica road, an analysis was conducted to understand if there are differences in the data and how eventually the difference of the acquired surface influenced the statistical data. The study, aimed to explore, through the use of the profilometer, how road descriptors from silicone replicas can introduce divergence in acquired data compared to the real road surface. It delves into two key parameters, the Power Spectral Density, and the Hurst coefficients, and sheds light on the complexities of the replication process and its implications for statistical analysis in the tribology field and the differences that can be expected. Clarifying the possibility of using silicone instead of real roads.