Nonlinear dynamics of dry friction

The dynamical behaviour caused by dry friction is studied for a spring-block system pulled with constant velocity over a surface. The dynamical consequences of a general type of phenomenological friction law (stick-time-dependent static friction, velocity-dependent kinetic friction) are investigated. Three types of motion are possible: stick-slip motion, continuous sliding, and oscillations without sticking events. A rather complete discussion of local and global bifurcation scenarios of these attractors and their unstable counterparts is present.