Partial Contact of a Smooth Elastic Wavy Strip Pressed Between Two Flat Surfaces

Abstract

The contact of a smooth elastic wavy strip pressed between two surfaces is solved by considering a curved beam in contact with a rigid half-space. In assuming so, the Michell Fourier series expansion for elastic bodies is shown to satisfy the resulting mixed boundary value problem. When the contact region is small compared to the radius of curvature of the beam, semi-analytical solutions are obtained by exploiting dual series equation techniques. The relation between the level of loading and the extent of contact, as well as stress on the surface and in the beam, are found. Various boundary conditions on the ends, which arise as lower order terms in the Michell solution, are considered. This semi-analytical solution may prove useful in analyzing the contact of a corrugated seal.