JOURNAL OF POLYTECHNIC-POLITEKNIK DERGISI, cilt.23, sa.1, ss.197-205, 2020 (ESCI)
A new finite element procedure is developed for the analysis of sliding contact problems involving spatially varying coefficient of friction. The problem is implemented using APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language) considering the Augmented Lagrange method as the contact solver. Upon discretization of the contact interface into multiple contact pairs, a sequence of steps is followed to evaluate the resultant friction force required for the sliding contact. As a case study, heterogeneous-friction contact problem between an orthotropic laterally graded half-plane and a rigid flat stamp is investigated under plane strain assumption. The proposed iterative procedure is proved reliable by comparing the results to those generated by a SIE (Singular Integral Equation) approach for isotropic laterally graded half-planes. Extra results are presented to reveal the effects of problem parameters on the contact stresses and the friction force. The paper outlines a convenient numerical solution for an advance sliding contact problem, and the results can be used in validation purposes of experimental and analytical studies.