8. Glossary

Constriction; constriction

Generally speaking, constriction corresponds to a very localized tightening of an object. The term is used in contact thermics to describe the concentration of flow lines to pass through the small fraction of asperities in contact.

Fractal; fractal

A fractal figure is a mathematical object, such as a curve or surface, whose structure is invariant to changes in scale. Fractals therefore imply the notion of self-similarity.

Peak; peak

Peaks are the prominent points of a profile measured along a generatrix on a surface.

Raideur normale de contact; normal contact stiffness

This is the elasticity induced in the normal direction of contact by the deformability of the asperities.

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