Simple analytical procedure for the determination of the contact pressure of a layered surface on a rigid backing

A simple analytical procedure has been developed to solve the elasticity problem and to predict the contact pressure for a compliant layered surface firmly bonded to a rigid substrate. The simple method developed enables the contact pressure to be readily determined once the contact area is known, either from experimental measurements or from theoretical predictions. Comparisons of the predicted contact pressure, based upon the present simple method, with full solutions to the problem have been made for cylindrical, spherical and elliptical contacts, and good agreement has been found. It is expected that the present simple method can be extended to the contact involving a finite length cylinder in cushion-form knee-joint replacements.