JKR Contact Mechanics Theory (contd...)

Now say by keeping the contact radius constant at , the load is reduced to . The situation is very similar to the loading on the contact area of the form in which the displacement is constant with respect and is obtained as (in 4.69 and 4.70)

	(9.6)

Then the energy that gets stored in the spheres, in decreasing the pressure from to is

	(9.7)

The total energy stored in the spheres,

	(9.8)

The mechanical potential energy of the system is given by,

	(9.9)

	(9.10)

The surface energy lost due to adhesion of the two surface is given by

	(9.11)

Then the total energy is given by

	(9.12)