Sliding Contact Between Dissimilar Elastic Bodies

An analysis is presented of the stresses induced by sliding between two bodies having different elastic constants. It is assumed that the bodies are plane (i.e., two dimensional), are symmetrical with respect to a line perpendicular to the plane of contact, and are smooth and continuous. It is shown that a careful choice of profile leads to a better load carrying capacity than for a Hertzian contact, but that the severity of the stresses induced is greater than for uncoupled sliding, i.e., where the bodies have similar elastic constants.