A model for the dynamic adhesion between rigid and viscoelastic bodies

This study presents a semi-analytical solution for the adhesive contact between a rigid sphere and an array of viscoelastic fibrils, modeling interactions which are commonly encountered in biological adhesion and engineered surfaces. The viscoelastic behavior of the fibrils is modelled using a standard viscoelastic solid (SVS) model, capturing both elastic and time-dependent deformation responses. The contact problem is formulated by considering the normal approach of the rigid sphere onto the fibrillar surface, dominated by a harmonic displacement law, and implementing different adhesive contact criteria. The analysis provides the pull-off force as function of the vibrations’ frequency and amplitude, also highlighting the dependence from the material parameters and providing insights into vibrating detachment processes.