The axisymmetric frictional receding contact of a layer pressed against a half-space by pressure outside a disk

This paper uses a distribution of ring dislocations to find the solution for the frictional axisymmetric receding contact of a semi-infinite layer pressed against a half-space by a uniform surface pressure exerted outside a disk. Three cases are considered: the contact is fully closed and stuck; the contact is fully closed and slipping; the contact is partially open and slipping. The tractions in the contact interface are obtained, as well as the self-determining points of closure and stick. •A semi-infinite axisymmetric layer of thickness a is pressed against a half-space.•Uniform pressure is applied to the layer's free surface everywhere, except on a disk of radius b centred at the origin.•Three cases are considered:Case I: contact is fully closed and stuckCase II: contact is fully closed and partially slippingCase III: contact is partially open and partially slipping•A bilateral solution is obtained for Case I•The stress fields are corrected using ring dislocations to find solutions for Cases II and III•The self-determining points of stick and closure are also obtained