Elastic Field Around A Circular Punch

Abstract

A solution is called complete when the explicit expressions are derived for the field of displacements as well as stresses in an elastic body. A new method is proposed here which allows us to obtain exact and complete solutions to various contact problems in elementary functions; no integral transforms or special function expansions are involved. The method is based on the new results in potential theory obtained earlier by the author. The main potential function and the relevant Green’s functions are derived explicitly. The interaction between an arbitrarily located concentrated load and a circular flat punch is considered. The use of the method is illustrated by examples.