Contact with Intermolecular Interaction Forces for a Viscoelastic Layer (Self-Consistent Approach): Calculation of the Stress-Strain State and Energy Dissipation

The contact between an infinitely extended plane indentor and a viscoelastic layer is considered within the Derjaguin self-consistent approach with the surface (traditional formulation) and bulk (refined formulation) application of intermolecular interaction forces. Some analytical expressions are derived for the stress-strain state. Using the first law of thermodynamics, the energy dissipation in a viscoelastic layer is calculated. It is shown that the traditional and refined problem formulations may lead to essentially different results of calculation for the characteristics of contact between an indentor and a viscoelastic layer.