Specifying and modifying contact property assignments for general contact

Contact properties can be assigned globally to a general contact interaction or individually to particular regions within a general contact domain. Attributes for a general contact interaction, such as contact properties, are specified independently of the contact domain in the Attribute Assignments portion of the interaction editor. For a brief overview of general contact, see Understanding interactions.

This task shows you how to:

Related Topics
Interaction editors
Defining general contact

Context:

You can change the contact property that is assigned to a general contact interaction in any step to which the original interaction definition is propagated. In Abaqus/Standard only the frictional behavior is allowed to change between the original contact property definition and the new contact property definition (see Specifying frictional behavior for mechanical contact property options)—Abaqus uses the original friction definition from the creation of the general contact interaction until the step in which the new property is assigned; the new friction definition is used for subsequent steps.

Specify contact property assignments

  1. Display the general contact interaction editor using one of the following methods:

    • To create a new general contact interaction, follow the instructions in Defining general contact.

    • To edit an existing general contact interaction, select InteractionEditinteraction name from the main menu bar.

  2. Click the Contact Properties tab in the Attribute Assignments portion of the interaction editor (if it is not already selected).

  3. If necessary, click in the Contact Properties portion of the interaction editor to create a contact interaction property; see Defining a contact interaction property, for more information.

  4. Specify the contact property assignments for the interaction using either of the following methods:

    • To assign a contact property globally to the entire contact domain, select a property from the list next to Global property assignment.

    • To assign different contact properties to individual surface pairs:

      1. Click next to Individual property assignments.

        The Edit Individual Contact Property Assignments dialog box appears. By default, when you select a surface from the list or the table, Abaqus/CAE highlights the surface in the viewport; however, highlighting does not apply for (Global), (Self), and Eulerian material surfaces. You can toggle off Highlight selected regions at the bottom of the dialog box to turn off selection highlighting.

      2. Select one or more surfaces from the list of existing surfaces in the first column on the left side. Select (Global) to assign a contact property between the entire contact domain and an individual surface.

        Tip: You can click to define a new surface and add it to the list. See Creating surfaces, for instructions on defining surfaces.

      3. Select the second surface or surfaces from the list of existing surfaces in the second column to define the surface pairings.

        • When multiple surfaces are selected in either column, all possible combinations will be generated.

        • To assign a property for self-contact, select either the same surface name or (Self) in the second column.

        • Any contact property assignments for regions that fall outside of the contact domain will be ignored.

      4. From the list of existing interaction properties in the third column, select the property to assign. You can create new interaction properties while you are working in the Edit Individual Contact Property Assignments dialog box (see Defining a contact interaction property).

      5. Click the arrows in the middle of the dialog box to transfer your selections to the list of property assignments.

        The table on the right side of the dialog box is updated to reflect your selections.

      6. Repeat the above steps as needed to complete the contact property assignments. If you want to delete contact property assignments, select the rows and click .

        Note:

        The order of assignments may be relevant; when property assignments overlap, the last assignment will take precedence.

      7. Click OK to save your selections and to close the Edit Individual Contact Property Assignments dialog box.

        The interaction editor reappears with updated information on the number of individual contact property assignments.

      Note:

      Individual contact property assignments take precedence over the global assignment.

  5. Click OK to create the interaction and to close the editor.

Modify a contact property assignment

  1. From the main menu bar, select InteractionEditinteraction name.

    The Edit Interaction dialog box appears.

  2. Click the Contact Properties tab in the Attribute Assignments portion of the interaction editor (if it is not already selected).

  3. Click next to Individual property assignments.

    The Edit Individual Contact Property Assignments dialog box appears.

  4. Select the row or rows containing the property assignment to be modified from the table on the right side of the dialog box.

  5. Select a new interaction property from the list in the third column on the left side of the dialog box.

  6. Click the arrow in the middle of the dialog box to replace the interaction property with your new selection.

  7. Click OK to save your selections and to close the dialog box.

    The interaction editor reappears.

  8. Click OK to save your changes and to close the interaction editor.