THE CONTACT PROBLEM FOR A CLASS OF ORTHOTROPIC ELASTIC SOLIDS

The contact problem between two orthotropic solids is examined. The pr oblem is solved by using Lodge's method, which permits the transformat ion of the boundary-value problem of an anisotropic solid to a form id entical with the corresponding problem of an isotropic medium. The pro posed solution is then compared with known results of certain particul ar cases and it is observed that it produces Hertz's solution when use d for an isotropic case, Lodge's solution when applied to contact betw een an orthotropic solid and a rigid plane and, finally, Love's soluti on if the solid is transversely isotropic with the axis of material sy mmetry perpendicular to the rigid plane of contact.