A fixed-point approach to the limit load analysis of multibody structures with Coulomb friction

In this paper, it is shown that, for planar systems formed from linear-elastic bodies in non-penetrative contact with Coulomb friction, the limit load can be approximated efficiently by the limit loads corresponding to a sequence of contact problems with given friction, via a finite element fixed-point approach. For the auxiliary problem with given friction, a splitting of this problem into two subproblems, one with prescribed normal contact stresses and given friction and one with prescribed tangential contact stresses, is employed. Numerical results for masonry block structures subjected to in-plane loading illustrate the predictive capabilities of this approach. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.