Critical equilibrium state of a bushing in a contact pair with cracks possessing plastic tip zones

The problem of mechanics of contact fracture is considered for a bushing in a friction pair. It is assumed that multiple reciprocating motion of the plunger leads to fracture of the bushing material owing to friction caused by contact interaction and accompanied by the joint effect of loading and temperature. It is assumed that there are several arbitrarily located straight-line cracks with tip zones near the contact surface of the bushing. The stress state of the bushing is examined in the presence of regions where the crack faces (or some part of them) come into contact.