On the anisotropic piezoelastic contact problem for an elliptical punch

Summary

This paper firstly conducts a systematic investigation of the problem of a rigid punch indenting an anisotropic piezoelectric half-space. The Fourier transform method is employed to the mixed boundary value problem. Using the principle of linear superposition, the resulting transformed (algebraic) equations, whose right-hand sides contain both pressure and electric displacement terms, can be solved by superposing the solutions of two sets of algebraic equations, one containing pressure and another containing electric displacement. For an arbitrarily shaped punch, two governing equations are derived, which can be solved numerically. In the case of transversely isotropic piezoelectric media, the two governing equations are corresponding with that given by others using potential theory. Particularly, when the punch has elliptic cross-section, and the pressure and electric displacement are given by some certain forms of polynomial functions, then the displacement and electric potential are prescribed by polynomial functions in the contact area. The parameters contained in it satisfy a set of linear algebraic equations, whose coefficients involve contour integrals. The problem of indentation by a smooth flat punch is examined for special orthotropic piezoelectric media, and some results obtained can be degenerated to the case of transversely isotropic piezoelectric media.