Contact surface element method for two-dimensional elastic contact problems

The stiffness matrix of a two-dimensional contact surface element is deduced from the principle of virtual work. The incremental loading procedure used is controlled by displacement and stress. Special potential contact elements are used to avoid the need to rearrange the FEM mesh due to variations of the contact surface as contact develops. Published results are used to validate the method, which is then applied to a turbine to solve the contact problem between the blade root and rotor in the region in which a \'push fit\' connects the blade to its rotor.