Action of an elliptic punch on a transversally isotropic half-space

The 3D contact problem on the action of a punch elliptic in horizontal projection on a transversally isotropic elastic half-space is considered for the case in which the isotropy planes are perpendicular to the boundary of the half-space. The elliptic contact region is assumed to be given (the punch has sharp edges). The integral equation of the contact problem is obtained. The elastic rigidity of the half-space boundary characterized by the normal displacement under the action of a given lumped force significantly depends on the chosen direction on this boundary. In this connection, the following two cases of location of the ellipse of contact are considered: it can be elongated along the first or the second axis of Cartesian coordinate system on the body boundary. Exact solutions are obtained for a punch with base shaped as an elliptic paraboloid, and these solutions are used to carry out the computations for various versions of the five elastic constants. The structure of the exact solution is found for a punch with polynomial base, and a method for determining the solution is proposed.     

Determination of optimal shape of a moving punch with friction taken into account

The optimization problem for the contact interaction between a rigid punch and an elasticmediumis considered. It is assumed that that the punch is under the action of some prescribed forces and momenta and moves along a surface bounding a half-space filled with an elastic medium. It is also assumed that themotion is quasistatic and the friction forces arising in the region of contact are taken into account. The punch shape is considered as the desired design variable, and the integral functional characterizing the discrepancy between the pressure distribution in the region of contact that corresponds to the optimized shape of the punch and a given goal distribution of pressure is taken as the minimizing criterion. The optimal shape can be determined efficiently by solving the following two problems: first, to obtain the optimal pressure distribution and then to solve a boundary value problemfor the elastic half-space under the action of the obtained normal pressure and friction forces. By way of example, the optimal shape is analytically determined for a punch of rectangular shape in horizontal projection.     

Anti-plane shear Green’s functions for an isotropic elastic half-space with a material surface

This paper presents analytical Green’s function solutions for an isotropic elastic half-space subject to anti-plane shear deformation. The boundary of the half-space is modeled as a material surface, for which the Gurtin–Murdoch theory for surface elasticity is employed. By using Fourier cosine transform, analytical solutions for a point force applied both in the interior or on the boundary of the half-space are derived in terms of two particular integrals. Through simple numerical examples, it is shown that the surface elasticity has an important influence on the elastic field in the half-space. The present Green’s functions can be used in boundary element method analysis of more complicated problems.     

New Transforms for the Resolving Equations in Elastic Theory and New Integral Transforms, with Applications to Boundary-Value Problems of Mechanics

This paper reviews results from an analysis of exact boundary-value solutions of static and dynamic elasticity obtained by the method of integral transforms. Consideration is given to the solutions of problems for a half-space and a blunted hollow cone, the heat conduction problem for a cone, and the diffraction problem for a cone with a hole along the generatrix. Solutions of mechanics problems are analyzed and the method of integral transforms is generalized     

Fundamental solutions to contact problems of a magneto-electro-elastic half-space indented by a semi-infinite punch

This paper presents the fundamental contact solutions of a magneto-electro-elastic half-space indented by a smooth and rigid half-infinite punch. The material is assumed to be transversely isotropic with the symmetric axis perpendicular to the surface of the half-space. Based on the general solutions, the generalized method of potential theory is adopted to solve the boundary value problems. The involved potentials are properly assumed and the corresponding boundary integral equations are solved by using the results in literature. Complete and exact fundamental solutions are derived case by case, in terms of elementary functions for the first time. The obtained solutions are of significance to boundary element analysis, and an important role in determining the physical properties of materials by indentation technique can be expected to play.     

Galin’s problem for a spatial elastic wedge

We study a three-dimensional contact problem on the indentation of an elliptic punch into a face of a linearly elastic wedge. The wedge is characterized by two parameters of elasticity and its edge is subjected to the action of an additional concentrated force. The other face wedge is free from stresses. The problem is reduced to an integral equation for the contact pressure. An asymptotic solution of this equation is obtained which is effective for a given contact region fairly remote from the edge. Calculations are performed that allow one to evaluate the effect of a force applied outside the contact region on the contact pressure distribution. The problem under study is a generalization of L. A. Galin’s problem on a force applied outside a circular punch on an elastic half-space [1, 2]. In a special case of a wedge with an opening angle of 180° and zero contact ellipse eccentricity, the obtained asymptotic relation coincides with the expansion of Galin’s exact solution in a series. Problems of indentation of an elliptic punch into a spatial wedge with the face not loaded outside the contact region have been studied previously. For example, the paper [3] dealt with the case of a known contact region (asymptotic method) and the paper [4] considered the case of an unknown contact region (numerical method). The solution of Galin’s problem allowed the authors of [2] to reduce the contact problem on the interaction of several punches applied to a half-space to a system of Fredholm integral equations of the second kind (Andreikin-Panasyuk method). A topical direction in contact mechanics is the model of discrete contact as well as related problems on the interaction of several punches [2, 5–8]. The interaction of several punches applied to a face of a wedge can be treated in a similar manner and an asymptotic solution can be obtained for the case where a concentrated force is applied at an arbitrary point of this face beyond the contact region rather than on the edge.     

Elastic Equilibrium of the Half-Space Revisited. Mindlin and Boussinesq Problems

The displacement caused in an isotropic elastic half-space by a point force localized on or beneath its surface is calculated here by a new method. These classical problems are known as Boussinesq and, respectively, Mindlin problems. The motivation for the present work resides in the fact that the original solutions involve some particular procedures, required by the complexity of the boundary conditions, which may limit their general application. The solutions presented here are obtained by including in a generalized Poisson equation the values of the function and its derivatives on the boundary, and by using in-plane Fourier transforms. This method is general and can be extended to other, similar problems.     

Parametric Excitation of a Secondary Flow in a Vertical Layer of a Fluid in the Presence of Small Solid Particles

Thermal convection is studied in an inhomogeneous medium consisting of a fluid and a solid admixture under conditions of finite–frequency vibrations. Convection equations are derived within the framework of the generalized Boussinesq approximation, and the problem of flow stability in a vertical layer of a viscous fluid with horizontal oscillations along the layer to infinitely small perturbations is considered. A comparison with experimental data is made.     

Study of half-space elastic contact problems by caustics

The optical method of caustics has been successfully applied to several two dimensional problems of elasticity. Up to now, no complicated three dimensional problems of elasticity have ever been treated by this method. In this paper, the experimental technique of caustics is developed, the caustics are obtained by annealing the stress-frozen epoxy slices. In applying this technique to Boussinesq's problem of a normal force and Cerruti's problem of a tangential force on the plane surface of a half-space, the experimentally obtained caustics for these problems are seen to be in satisfactory agreement with the corresponding theoretical forms. The treatment of the rather complicated three dimensional elasticity problems, including crack problems, by the author's method is also possible.     

Elastic Displacement in a Half-Space Under the Action of a Tensor Force. General Solution for the Half-Space with Point Forces

The elastic displacement in an isotropic elastic half-space with free surface is calculated for a point tensor force which may arise from the seismic moment of seismic sources concentrated at an inner point of the half-space. The starting point of the calculation is the decomposition of the displacement by means of the Helmholtz potentials and a simplified version of the Grodskii-Neuber-Papkovitch procedure. The calculations are carried out by using generalized Poisson equations and in-plane Fourier transforms, which are convenient for treating boundary conditions. As a general result we compute the displacement in the isotropic elastic half-space with free surface caused by point forces with arbitrary structure and orientation, localized either beneath the surface (generalized Mindlin problem) or on the surface (generalized Boussinesq-Cerruti problems). The inverse Fourier transforms are carried out by means of Sommerfeld-type integrals. For forces buried in the half-space explicit results are given for the surface displacement, which may exhibit finite values at the origin, or at distances on the surface of the order of the depth of the source. The problem presented here may be viewed as an addition to the well-known static problems of elastic equilibrium of a half-space under the action of concentrated loads. The application of the method to similar problems and another approach to the starting point of the general solution are discussed.     

Contact problem for an orthotropic half-space

Numerical and analytical solutions of the 3D contact problem of elasticity on the penetration of a rigid punch into an orthotropic half-space are obtained disregarding the friction forces.A numericalmethod ofHammerstein-type nonlinear boundary integral equations was used in the case of unknown contact region, which permits determining the contact region and the pressure in this region. The exact solution of the contact problem for a punch shaped as an elliptic paraboloid was used to debug the program of the numerical method. The structure of the exact solution of the problem of indentation of an elliptic punch with polynomial base was determined. The computations were performed for various materials in the case of the penetration of an elliptic or conical punch.     

Connection between static electromagnetoelasticity and anisotropic elasticity and its applications

Connection between electromagnetoelasticity and anisotropic elasticity is explored in the state space setting. In the absence of electric charges and currents, the basic equations of static electromagnetoelasticity are formulated into a state equation and an output equation, which bear a remarkable resemblance to the corresponding equations of elasticity. Accordingly, the solutions for various steady-state problems of electromagnetoelasticity can be determined in parallel to their elastic counterparts. For illustration, the generalized plane problems are treated within the context. Exact solutions for the electromagnetoelastic fields in a half-space subjected to line loads and in an infinite plate with an elliptic notch under extension are determined in a simple way.     

Notes on the nonlinearly elastic Boussinessq problem

The nonlinearly elastic Boussinesq problem is to find the deformation produced in a homogeneous, isotropic, elastic half space by a point force normal to the undeformed boundary, using the exact equations of elasticity for an incompressible or compressible material. First we derive the governing equations from the Principle of Stationary Potential Energy and then we examine some of the implications of the conservation laws of elastostatics when applied to the entire half space, assuming that the well-known linear Boussinesq solution is valid at large distances from the point load. Next, we hypothesize asymptotic forms for the solutions near the point load and, finally, we seek solutions for two specific materials: an incompressible, generalized neo-Hookean (power-law) material introduced by Knowles and a compressible Blatz-Ko material. We find that the former, if sufficiently stiffer than the conventional neo-Hookean material, can support a finite deflection under the point load, but that the latter cannot.This research was supported by the U.S. Army Research Office under Grant DAAL 03-91-G-0022 and by the National Science Foundation under Grant MSS-9102155.     

Problems of the Flamant–Boussinesq and Kelvin Type in Dipolar Gradient Elasticity

This work studies the response of bodies governed by dipolar gradient elasticity to concentrated loads. Two-dimensional configurations in the form of either a half-space (Flamant–Boussinesq type problem) or a full-space (Kelvin type problem) are treated and the concentrated loads are taken as line forces. Our main concern is to determine possible deviations from the predictions of plane-strain/plane-stress classical linear elastostatics when a more refined theory is employed to attack the problems. Of special importance is the behavior of the new solutions near to the point of application of the loads where pathological singularities and discontinuities exist in the classical solutions. The use of the theory of gradient elasticity is intended here to model material microstructure and incorporate size effects into stress analysis in a manner that the classical theory cannot afford. A simple but yet rigorous version of the generalized elasticity theories of Toupin (Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 11:385–414, 1962) and Mindlin (Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 16:51–78, 1964) is employed that involves an isotropic linear response and only one material constant (the so-called gradient coefficient) additional to the standard Lamé constants (Georgiadis et al., J. Elast. 74:17–45, 2004). This theory, which can be viewed as a first-step extension of the classical elasticity theory, assumes a strain-energy density function, which besides its dependence upon the standard strain terms, depends also on strain gradients. The solution method is based on integral transforms and is exact. The present results show departure from the ones of the classical elasticity solutions (Flamant–Boussinesq and Kelvin plane-strain solutions). Indeed, continuous and bounded displacements are predicted at the points of application of the loads. Such a behavior of the displacement fields is, of course, more natural than the singular behavior present in the classical solutions.      

Anti-plane shear Lamb''s problem treated by gradient elasticity with surface energy

The consideration of higher-order gradient effects in a classical elastodynamic problem is explored in this paper. The problem is the anti-plane shear analogue of the well-known Lamb's problem. It involves the time-harmonic loading of a half-space by a single concentrated anti-plane shear line force applied on the half-space surface. The classical solution of this problem based on standard linear elasticity was first given by J.D. Achenbach and predicts a logarithmically unbounded displacement at the point of application of the load. The latter formulation involves a Helmholtz equation for the out-of-plane displacement subjected to a traction boundary condition. Here, the generalized continuum theory of gradient elasticity with surface energy leads to a fourth-order PDE under traction and double-traction boundary conditions. This theory assumes a form of the strain-energy density containing, in addition to the standard linear-elasticity terms, strain-gradient and surface-energy terms. The present solution, in some contrast with the classical one, predicts bounded displacements everywhere. This may have important implications for more general contact problems and the Boundary-Integral-Equation Method.     

Asymptotic Analysis of Finite Deformation in a Nonlinear Transversely Isotropic Incompressible Hyperelastic Half-space Subjected to a Tensile Point Load

The Boussinesq problem, that is, determining the deformation in a hyperelastic half-space due to a point force normal to the boundary, is an important problem of engineering, geomechanics, and other fields to which elasticity theory is often applied. While linear solutions produce useful Greens functions, they also predict infinite displacements and other physically inconsistent results nearby and at the point of application of the load where the most critical and interesting material behavior occurs. To illuminate the deformation due to such a load in the region of interest, asymptotic analysis of the nonlinear Boussinesq problem has been considered in the context of isotropic hyperelasticity. Studies considering transversely isotropic materials have also been broadly used in the linear theory, but have not been treated within the nonlinear framework. In this paper we extend the nonlinearly elastic isotropic analysis to transverse isotropy, producing a more general theory which also better encompasses applications involving layered media. The governing equations for nonlinearly elastic, transversely isotropic solids are derived, conservation laws of elastostatics are invoked, asymptotic forms of the deformation solutions are hypothesized, and the differential equations governing deformation near the point load are determined. The analysis also develops sequences of simple tests to determine if a transversely isotropic material can possibly sustain a finite deflection under the point load. The results are applied to a variety of transversely isotropic materials, and the effects of the anisotropy considered is demonstrated by comparison of the resulting deformation with similar asymptotic solutions in the isotropic theory. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000) 74B20, 74E10, 74G10, 74G15, 74G70.     

The contact problem of electroelasticity for a flat punch with parabolic cross-section

The solution of the problem of a rigid punch with a parabolic cross-section and flat base that is forced into an elastic piezoelectric ceramic half-space is derived in explicit form. The punch is somewhat displaced, being parallel to the isotropy plane that coincides with the boundary surface of the half-space. The symmetry axis coincides with the direction of the force lines of the field with the previous polarization. Formulas are derived to determine the stresses on the surface of the half-space under the punch and the components of the conjugate electric field for certain boundary conditions on the contact area. S. P. Timoshenko Institute of Mechanics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev. Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 35, No. 11, pp. 20–26, November, 1999.     

A unified treatment of axisymmetric adhesive contact problems using the harmonic potential function method

A unified treatment of axisymmetric adhesive contact problems is provided using the harmonic potential function method for axisymmetric elasticity problems advanced by Green, Keer, Barber and others. The harmonic function adopted in the current analysis is the one that was introduced by Jin et al. (2008) to solve an external crack problem. It is demonstrated that the harmonic potential function method offers a simpler and more consistent way to treat non-adhesive and adhesive contact problems. By using this method and the principle of superposition, a general solution is derived for the adhesive contact problem involving an axisymmetric rigid punch of arbitrary shape and an adhesive interaction force distribution of any profile. This solution provides analytical expressions for all non-zero displacement and stress components on the contact surface, unlike existing ones. In addition, the newly derived solution is able to link existing solutions/models for axisymmetric non-adhesive and adhesive contact problems and to reveal the connections and differences among these solutions/models individually obtained using different methods at various times. Specifically, it is shown that Sneddon’s solution for the axisymmetric punch problem, Boussinesq’s solution for the flat-ended cylindrical punch problem, the Hertz solution for the spherical punch problem, the JKR model, the DMT model, the M-D model, and the M-D-n model can all be explicitly recovered by the current general solution.     

Contact vibration analysis of the functionally graded material coated half-space under a rigid spherical punch

This paper studies the contact vibration problem of an elastic half-space coated with functionally graded materials (FGMs) subject to a rigid spherical punch. A static force superimposing a dynamic time-harmonic force acts on the rigid spherical punch. Firstly, we give the static contact problem of FGMs by a least-square fitting approach. Next, the dynamic contact pressure is solved by employing the perturbation method. Lastly, the dynamic contact stiffness with different dynamic contact displacement conditions is derived for the FGM coated half-space. The effects of the gradient index, coating thickness, internal friction, and punch radius on the dynamic contact stiffness factor are discussed in detail.     

Inclined circular flat punch on a transversely isotropic piezoelectric half-space

Summary Utilizing the general solution of transversely isotropic piezoelectricity, the paper analyzes the problem of an inclined rigid circular flat punch indenting a transversely isotropic piezoelectric half-space. The potential theory method is employed and generalized to take into account the effect of the electric field in piezoelectric materials. Assuming that the punch is maintained at a constant electric potential, exact expressions for the elastoelectric field are derived in terms of elementary functions. It is noted that the solution corresponding to a flat circular punch centrally loaded by a concentrated force can be obtained as a special case. Received 15 December 1998; accepted for publication 9 March 1999