Dynamic response of electrical contact resistance (ECR) under structural vibration

Many types of electrical connectors are used in traditional and emerging technology sectors such as electric vehicles, traditional automobiles, and aircraft, in which they need to maintain a stable and low electrical contact resistance (ECR). However, external shock and vibration can cause a sudden increase in ECR, which can lead to system failures due to electrical discontinuities or power transfer loss. In this study, the impact of structural dynamics on the ECR response is investigated using analytical modeling and simulation. A structural vibration of 100 Hz with a surface displacement amplitude of 3 nm is applied to an electrical connector system, and the dynamic ECR response is analyzed concerning structural stiffness and damping ratio. At the onset of structural vibration, the system shows a high-frequency response with large amplitude variation, which decays over the elapsed time. From the parametric simulations and statistical data analysis, it is observed that the magnitude of ECR fluctuation decreases with the structural stiffness and damping ratio. Within the tested range of structural properties, the ECR fluctuation is more sensitive to stiffness than the damping ratio.