Modelling of an electric contact under lightning current

International audienceLightning stroke on aircrafts induce high current levels in aeronautic assemblies which electrical resistance is mainly concentrated in the contact interfaces between the different parts. As a consequence, the maximum Joule effects, electric fields, and hence sparking probabilities take place in the electric contacts of the aeronautic assemblies [1]. Being able to predict the behaviour of electric contacts under high current levels is then necessary to provide a better understanding on sparking and out-gassing phenomena induced by lightning stroke on aeronautic structures. The present work addresses the modelling at the microscopic scale of such electric contacts under high current levels, through a simplified geometric and physical description. 2D axisymmetric and 3D finite volume simulations are used to study simplified contact geometries and examine the current distribution dynamics, temperature increase, and phase transitions. Finally, a simple pseudo-analytical model is proposed that enables parametric studies on more complex and realistic electric contacts