Stick-slip waves between elastic and rigid half-spaces

The construction of an analytic solution of the problem of stick-slip waves crossing the interface between an elastic half-space and a tigid one under unilateral contact and Coulomb friction is considered. The method of solution is based on the analytic continuation method of Radok's complex potentials within the framework of steady elastodynamic problems. The governing equations combined with the boundary conditions are reduced to a Riemann–Hilbert problem with discontinuous coefficient, and closed-form expressions of the solution are derived. It is found that the existence of solutions depends on the additional velocity, which is related to the longitudinal elongation. If this velocity is ignored, there is no solution, if not, it is possible to construct weakly singular solutions satisfying all stick-slip conditions except over a narrow zone where the waves exhibit a crack-like be haviour.