Contact Interaction Analysis of a Sliding Bearing Sleeve with Friction and Separation Zones in an Elastic Layer

This paper investigates the contact interaction in a sliding bearing assembly modeled as a system comprising an elastic layer (polymer or composite housing), a press-fit steel sleeve (bushing), and a rigid shaft — a configuration representative of bearing nodes in lightweight aircraft and mechanical engineering structures. The research determines the stress- strain state of this assembly under imperfect-contact conditions, explicitly accounting for partial-contact zones (regions of sleeve-shaft separation arising from elastic deformation of the housing under transverse loading) and dry-friction forces. The method employs the generalized Fourier method combined with an adaptive iterative algorithm based on alternating boundary conditions to resolve the nonlinear contact problem with unknown contact boundaries. Unlike classical approaches that assume full contact, the proposed model correctly identifies the extent of the partial contact zone and the redistribution of contact pressure as a function of load direction and friction coefficient. The results demonstrate rapid convergence (3–4 iterations) and provide accurate stress and displacement distributions for use in the strength assessment and geometric optimization of sliding bearing assemblies.