Models of discrete contact of elastic bodies taking into account adhesion forces

The paper presents formulations and solutions of periodic contact problems for an elastic half-plane and an elastic half-space taking into account the adhesive interaction of contacting bodies’ surfaces. To describe the adhesive forces in the gap between the surfaces, an approximation of the adhesive potential in the form of a piecewise constant function (the Maugis–Dugdale approximation) is used. The dependences of the real contact area, as well as the approach of bodies on the nominal pressure, the parameters of adhesive potential, and the surface relief parameters of the indenting body are investigated. The obtained solutions are compared with the results following from the Johnson, Kendall, Roberts (JKR) model based on the use of a simplified form of the adhesive potential. An analysis of energy dissipation in the surfaces approach–retraction cycle is carried out, and the influence of the parameters of surface microrelief on this contact interaction characteristic is estimated.