The unbounded normal stress of a contact problem for a cylinder

The contact problem of symmetric indentation of two punches in the form of circular segments, without friction, into the exterior surface of a cylinde r under harmonic force Po cos wt is considered. The problem is formulated i nto a singular integral equation of Hilbert type, its solution providing an expression for the physically important unbounded normal stress. For the s ake of completing the definition of this expression, the integral equation is converted into an infinite system of algebraic equations the solution of which can be obtained by means of the method of truncation. The truncation is justified and the error is estimated. (C) 1999 IMACS/Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.