The axisymmetric double contact problem for a frictionless elastic layer indented by an elastic cylinder

This paper is concerned with the smooth receding contact between an elastic layer and a half space when the layer is compressed by a frictionless semi-infinite elastic cylinder. Upon loading, the contact along the layer-subspace interface shrinks to a circular area, radius of which is unknown. The analysis leads to a system of singular integral equations of the second kind. The integral equations are solved numerically and the contact pressures, extent of contact and the stress intensity factor round the edge of the cylinder are calculated for various material combinations.