We construct a model for studying the common influence of the imperfect elasticity of actual bodies, the microgeometry of their surfaces, and their adhesive interaction on the contact characteristics (the contact pressure distribution, the region of actual contact) and on the sliding friction force. The model is based on the solution of a plane contact problem of sliding of a rigid body with a regular relief on the boundary of a viscoelastic foundation with surface molecular attraction in the gap between the surfaces taken into account. We analyze the influence of the surface microgeometry parameters at different scale levels on the character of the surface interaction (the saturated or discrete contact) and the friction force for different sliding velocities of the contacting bodies.

The problem of sliding of a spherical indenter on a viscoelastic foundation is solved in a quasistatic formulation taking account the forces of adhesive attraction which are considered different at the entrance to and exit from the contact region due to changes in the surface properties during the interaction. It is found that the contact characteristics and the frictional force due to the imperfect elasticity of the foundation depend on the surface and bulk properties of the materials of the interacting bodies and the interaction conditions (load, velocity, etc.).

The solution of the problem of interaction with regard to the forces of adhesive (molecular) attraction of two nominally plane half-spaces one of which is elastic and the surface of the other has a re