Contradictions in the Plane Contact Problem of the Theory of Elasticity on the Compression of Cylinders in Contact with Parallel Generators

Abstract

The inapplicability of the reference formula for determining the convergence of two statically compressed parallel cylinders made of a homogeneous, isotropic and physically linear material has been proved due to a well-known logarithmic feature in the plane classical problem of mechanics of elastic solids. In the special case of the elastic interaction of a cylinder with a half-plane, when one of the radii has an infinite length, it has been found that the convergence also becomes equal to infinity. This paradoxical result contradicts not only the physical and mechanical meaning of the process under study, but also confirms the inadequacy of Flamant model of a simple radial stress state in determining displacements. The authors have proposed an algorithm for eliminating the contradictions based on the solution of Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. In the future, it can be considered as a new fundamental and applied problem of the theory of elasticity, which is of a great importance for a refined assessment of the contact strength and stiffness of the cylindrical parts of load-bearing structures taking into account the general and local deformations (cylindrical rollers, gears, road surfaces, when they are compacted with steel rollers, etc.) on the basis of a flat Flamant calculation scheme considering three stress components and the width of the cylinder contact area previously developed and mathematically approximated by the authors.