Frictional half-plane contact problems subject to alternating normal and shear loads and tension in the steady state

The problem of a general, symmetric contact, between elastically similar bodies, and capable of idealisation using half-plane theory, is studied in the presence of interfacial friction. It is subject to a constant set of loads - normal force, shear force and bulk tension parallel with the interface - together with an oscillatory set of the same quantities, and is in the steady state. Partial slip conditions are expected to ensue for a range of these quantities, and the permanent stick zone is explicitly established, thereby effectively specifying the maximum extent of the slip zones. Exact and approximate, easy to apply recipes are obtained.