Variation of Gaps between an Elastic Body and an Irregular Base under the Action of Concentrated Forces

Abstract

We study the problem of contact interaction of an elastic half plane with a rigid base containing a smooth hollow under the action of external pressure and concentrated forces. We analyze the processes of appearance and transformation of intercontact gaps in the case where the force approaches the boundary. It is shown that, after the appearance of two symmetric gaps, the evolution of contact passes through three stages as the distance between the force and the boundary decreases. In the first stage, the gaps become smaller and, as a final result, disappear. In the second stage, the bodies are in perfect contact. In the third stage, the contact opens again and the gaps become larger as the force approaches the boundary.