Default interaction and constraint parameters

After completing a search for potential contact pairs, Abaqus/CAE populates the contact pair candidates table with all of the parameters necessary to create interactions.

Names are provided for the contact pair and any created surfaces. Table 1 outlines the naming algorithm.

Table 1. Algorithms used to create names in the contact detection tool.
Contact pairs Prefix-Contact_pair_number-Master_instance-Slave_instance
Master surfaces Prefix-Contact_pair_number-Master_instance
Slave surfaces Prefix-Contact_pair_number-Slave_instance
Merged master surface Prefix-All-m
Merged slave surface Prefix-All-s
Merged “all” surface Prefix-All

Use the Names tabbed page before performing a search to modify the naming prefix and control the creation of surfaces. For details, see Specifying naming options for contact detection.

The default parameters supplied to contact pairs by the contact detection tool are slightly different than the defaults used in the traditional interaction or constraint editor. Most notably, the contact detection tool initially assigns surface-to-surface discretization to each contact pair instead of node-to-surface discretization. See Mesh tie constraints, and Contact formulations in Abaqus/Standard, for a discussion of surface discretization and the associated constraint enforcement methods.

The default surface adjustment options depend on the separation between the surfaces in a contact pair. You can use the Rules tabbed page before performing a search to control the default adjustment options that are assigned to detected contact pairs. You can also use this page to specify a separation tolerance within which all contact pairs default to tie constraints. For more information about the Rules page, see Defining default contact pair parameters.

Table 2 lists the default contact pair parameters supplied by Abaqus/CAE. You can edit each parameter individually before creating interactions and constraints. For detailed instructions on editing parameters and defaults, see Reviewing and modifying detected contact pairs.

Table 2. Default contact pair parameters for the contact detection tool.
Parameter Default Value
Active/Suppressed Active
Type1 Interaction
Sliding Finite sliding
Discretization Surface-to-surface
Interaction property The first contact interaction property listed in the Interaction Property Manager2; if no interaction properties have been created, this parameter is blank
Contact controls This parameter is blank; contact controls are unavailable in the initial step
Adjust1 Off for contact interactions between nonintersecting surfaces; 0 for contact interactions between intersecting surfaces; On for tie constraints
Creation step Initial
Surface smoothing Automatic
1Defaults for the Type and Adjust parameters are controlled by the Rules options.
2The Interaction Property Manager lists all created interaction properties alphabetically by name.

Note:

Some of the parameters discussed above are not visible in the contact pair candidates table by default. Click mouse button 3 anywhere in the table, and select Edit Visible Columns to control which parameters appear in the table.

For more information about interaction and constraint parameters, see Mesh tie constraints; About contact pairs in Abaqus/Standard; and About contact pairs in Abaqus/Explicit.