Closed-Form Solutions for a Piecewise Quadratic Half-Plane Contact Problem

A procedure for the solution of a general half-plane contact problem in which the geometry is specified in a piecewise quadratic sense is developed, in a form particularly suitable for implementation using an algebraic manipulator. This makes feasible the possibility of determining a closed-form solution when the number of contact segments is small, and opens up the possibility of exploring the strength of a wide range of contacting profiles.