The Elastic Contact between a Circular Rigid Punch and a Transversely Isotropic Layer Bonded to a Rigid Foundation

Abstract

We consider an axisymmetric elastic contact problem of a transversely isotropic layer which is bonded to a rigid foundation. The upper surface of the layer is smoothly indented by a flat-ended circular rigid punch. The problem is reduced to an analytical and exact solution of an infinite system of simultaneous equations utilizing a method of expressing a normal contact stress on the punch as an appropriate series function with a singularity at the punch edge. Convergence can be achieved using 8 terms of the series. Numerical results are obtained to examine the effects of the layer thickness and material anisotropy on stress fields.