Axisymmetric contact problems at finite Coulomb friction and rounded profiles are
examined for linear elastic solids. In previous analytical/numerical approaches to this
problem often incremental procedures have been developed resulting in a reduced
incremental problem corresponding to a rigid flat indentation of an elastic half-space.
The reduced problem, being independent of loading and contact region, can be solved
by a finite element method based on a stationary contact contour and characterized
by high accuracy. Subsequently, with cumulative superposition procedures it is then
possible to resolve the original problem in order to determine global and local field
values. Such a procedure, when applied to for example to flat and conical
profiles with rounded edges and apices, is exact save for the influence from
boundaries close to the contact region. This influence could be exemplified
by the indenter boundaries of a flat deformable profile with rounded edges
indenting a linear elastic half-space. In the present analysis such effects are
investigated qualitatively and quantitatively. In doing so, the results derived
using previously discussed analytical/numerical approaches are compared
with corresponding ones from full-field finite element calculations. Both
local as well as global quantities are included in the comparison in order
to arrive at a complete understanding of the boundary effects at elastic
contact.
