A finite element solution for the two‐dimensional elastic contact problems with friction

A numerical procedure developed for solving the two-dimensional elastic contact problems with friction is presented. This is a generalization of a procedure developed by Francavilla and Zienkiewicz to include frictional effects under proportionate loading. The method uses the flexibility matrix obtained by inversion of condensed stiffness matrix formed by eliminating all the nodes except those where contact is likely to take place and those with external forces. Compatibility of displacements for both normal and tangential directions is applied to those nodes which do not slip. However, for the nodes which slip, compatibility of displacements is applied for normal direction only and slip condition is applied in the tangential direction. The technique has been applied to several problems and very good results have been obtained. The number of iterations needed are very small.