friction and plasticity: new avenues of research?

Based on some recent results by Anders Klabring, myself and Jim Barber, showing rigorously that Melan’s theorem only works for a very restricted class of frictional problems, we suggest possible avenues of further research, with applications ranging from scientific areas like the sliding of tectonic plates in earthquakes to technological areas such as frictional dampers, contact joints in mechanical and biomechanical assemblies, pipelines, geotechnical systems, and many other components.