In-plane loading of a bonded rigid disc inclusion embedded at a pre-compressed elastic interface: The role of non-linear interface responses

Abstract

The paper examines the in-plane loading of a bonded rigid disc inclusion of finite thickness that is embedded at a smooth pre-compressed elastic interface composed of two halfspace regions. The in-plane loading induces a pure translation of the inclusion without rotation. The paper first develops estimates for the in-plane elastic stiffness of the disc inclusion. Upon de-bonding of the inclusion-elastic medium interfaces, the peak force is established by considering a Coulomb friction response of fully debonded interfaces. When the detached interface exhibits dilatant processes the displacement-dependent peak force at the detached surfaces can be estimated using a work-plastic energy dissipation relationship. When the bonded faces of the inclusion exhibit an elasto-plastic response, the force–displacement response of the in-plane loaded inclusion can exhibit a transition from the fully bonded response to partial detachment. The analysis of this problem is achieved using a computational approach that accounts for the development of failure and separation at the pre-compressed interface.