Fracture mechanics implications for apparent static friction coefficient in contact problems involving slip-weakening laws

We consider the effect of differing coefficients of static and dynamic friction coefficients on the behaviour of contacts involving microslip. The classic solutions of Cattaneo and Mindlin are unchanged if the transition in coefficients is abrupt, but if it occurs over some small slip distance, the solution has some mathematical similarities with those governing the normal tractions in adhesive contact problems. In particular, if the transition to dynamic slip occurs over a sufficiently small area, we can identify a 'JKR' approximation, where the transition region is condensed to a line. A local singularity in shear traction is then predicted, with a stress-intensity factor that is proportional to the square root of the local contact pressure and to a certain integral of the friction coefficient-slip distance relation. We can also define an equivalent of the 'small-scale yielding' criterion, which enables us to assess when the singular solution provides a good approximation. One consequence of the results is that the static coefficient of friction determined from force measurements in experiments is significantly smaller than the value that holds at the microscale.