Role of friction-induced torque in stick-slip motion

TL;DR

This paper introduces a minimal quasistatic 1D model that explains how friction-induced torque influences the transition from static friction to stick-slip motion, aligning with recent experimental findings.

Contribution

It presents a novel minimal model linking friction-induced torque to stick-slip dynamics and micro-slip nucleation, enhancing understanding of frictional transitions.

Findings

Friction-induced torque controls precursors to slip.

Model explains asymmetric contact area buildup.

Aligns with recent experimental observations.

Abstract

We present a minimal quasistatic 1D model describing the kinematics of the transition from static friction to stick-slip motion of a linear elastic block on a rigid plane. We show how the kinematics of both the precursors to frictional sliding and the periodic stick-slip motion are controlled by the amount of friction-induced torque at the interface. Our model provides a general framework to understand and relate a series of recent experimental observations, in particular the nucleation location of micro-slip instabilities and the build up of an asymmetric field of real contact area.