The conventional finite element method has been modified to allow the
elastic stresses at the contact surface between two objects to be dete
rmined with improved accuracy. Both the problems of frictionless and f
rictional contacts were studied, and the results obtained by this modi
fied method are compared with both a theoretical and a traditional fin
ite element solution. The comparison shows that the modified solution
is in better agreement with the theoretical solution as compared with
the traditional solution.