About cookies on this site Our websites require some cookies to function properly (required). In addition, other cookies may be used with your consent to analyze site usage, improve the user experience and for advertising. For more information, please review your options. By visiting our website, you agree to our processing of information as described in IBM’sprivacy statement. To provide a smooth navigation, your cookie preferences will be shared across the IBM web domains listed here.
Paper
A finite element analysis of contact stress and strain in an elastic film on a rigid substrate-part I: Zero friction
Abstract
The stresses and strains in a semi-infinite homogeneous body indented by a rigid sphere is a classical problem first investigated by Hertz. The special case of a thin elastic layer on a rigid substrate indented by a rigid sphere is considered here using a finite element approach. This is a problem of interest in the hardness testing of thin sheet material and in engineering design when the applied load is axially directed. When the applied load has a frictional (tangential) component, the results are of particular interest in tribology. The study is divided into two parts. The first considers purely axial loading while the second part, presented in a companion paper, considers a combination of axial and tangential loading. Results in both cases are compared with the well known Hertz solution. © 1986 by ASME.