Periodic Contact and Mixed Problems of the Elasticity Theory (Review)

Results are reviewed collected in the investigations of periodic contact and mixed problems of the plane, axially symmetric and spatial elasticity theory. Among mixed problems, cut (crack) problems are focused integral equations of which are connected with those for contact problems. The periodic contact problems stimulate research of the discrete contact of rough (wavy) surfaces. Together with classical elastic domains (half-plane, half-space, plane and full space), we consider periodic problems for cylinder, layer, cone and spatial wedge. Most publications including fun-damental ones by Westergaard and Shtaerman deals with plane periodic problems of the elasticity theory. Here, one can mention approaches based on complex variable functions, Fourier series, Green’s functions and potential func-tions. A fracture mechanics approach to the plane periodic contact problem was developed. Methods and approaches are considered which allow us to take friction forces, adhesion and wear into account in the periodic contact. For spatial periodic and doubly periodic contact and properly mixed problems, we describe such methods as the localiza-tion method, the asymptotic methods, the method of nonlinear boundary integral equations, the fast Fourier trans-form. The half-space is the simplest model for elastic solids. But for the simplest straight-line periodic punch system, some three-dimensional contact problems (normal contact or tangential contact for shifted cohesive coatings) turn out to be incorrect because their integral equations contain divergent series. Considering three-dimensional periodic problems, I.G. Goryacheva disposes circular punches in special way (circular orbits, polar coordinated are used for centers of the punches), in this case one can prove convergence of the series in the integral equation (it is important that the punches are circular). For the periodic problems for an elastic layer, V.M. Aleksandrov has shown that the series in integral equations converge but the kernels become more complicated. In the present paper, we demonstrate that for the straight-line periodic punch system of arbitrary form the contact problem for a half-space turns out to be correct in case of more complicated boundary conditions. Namely, it can be sliding support or rigid fixation of a half-plane on the half-space boundary, the half-plane boundary should be parallel to the straight-line (the punch system axis) for arbitrary finite distance between the parallel lines. On this way, for sliding support, the kernel of the period-ic problem integral equation kernel is free of integrals, it consists of single convergent series (normal contact, the kernel is given in two equivalent forms). We consider classical percolation (how neighboring contact domains pene-trate one to another, investigated by K.L. Johnson, V.A. Yastrebov with co-authors) for the three-dimensional periodic contact amplification as well as percolation for the straight-line punch system. A similar approach is suggested for the case of periodic tangential contact (coatings system cohesive with a half-space boundary shifted along its axis or perpendicular to it). Here, one can separate out unique solutions of auxiliary problems because the line of changing boundary conditions on the half-space boundary can provoke non-uniqueness. The method proposed opens possibility to consider more complicated three-dimensional periodic contact problems for straight-line punch systems with changing boundary conditions inside the period.