On the strain energy distribution of two elastic solids under smooth contact

The Hertz contact law for two linear elastic spheres plays a very important role in the discrete element method (DEM). Within classic theory, strain energy distribution contacting is analytically derived, which states that ratio between energies stored solely dependent on their material properties, regardless of radii. This generally valid non-spherical and other cases, provided surfaces can be reasonably treated as half-spaces deformation small. independence feature from geometry also greatly facilitates computation at particle level. As direct consequence this law, point particles DEM could determined. numerical simulations demonstrate good agreement theoretical prediction results tested cases involving ellipsoids with varying sizes properties. • Analytically derived contact. Discussed extension to cases. Proposed determination DEM. Used finite validate derivation.