Problems of Concentrated Loads in Microstructured Solids Characterized by Dipolar Gradient Elasticity

This work studies the response of bodies governed by dipolar gradient elasticity to concentrated loads. The use of the theory of gradient elasticity is intended here to model material microstructure and incorporate size effects into stress analysis in a manner that the classical theory cannot afford. A simple but yet rigorous version of the generalized elasticity theories of Toupin [

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] and Mindlin [

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] is employed that involves an isotropic linear response and only one material constant (the so-called gradient coefficient) additional to the standard Lame constants. This theory, which can be viewed as a first-step extension of the classical elasticity theory, assumes a strain-energy density function, which besides its dependence upon the standard strain terms, depends also on strain gradients [

3

]. Twodimensional configurations in the form of either a half-space (Flamant-Boussinesq type problem) or a full-space (Kelvin type problem) are treated and the concentrated loads are taken as line forces. The problems enjoy important applications in various areas, e.g., in Contact Mechanics and Tribology. Also, the Flamant-Boussinesq and Kelvin solutions serve as pertinent Green’s functions in a multitude of problems analyzed by the Boundary Element Method. Our main concern here is to determine possible deviations from the predictions of classical linear elastostatics when a more refined theory is employed to attack the problems. Of special importance is the behavior of the new solutions near to the point of application of the loads where pathological singularities exist in the classical solutions. The solution method is based on integral transforms and is exact. The present results show departure from the ones of the classical elasticity solutions. Indeed, bounded displacements are predicted even at the points of application of the loads. Such a behavior of the displacement fields seems to be more natural than the singular behavior present in the classical solutions.