About mechanical contact properties

In a mechanical contact simulation the interaction between contacting bodies is defined by assigning a contact property model to a contact interaction (see Contact properties for general contact in Abaqus/Standard, Assigning contact properties for contact pairs in Abaqus/Standard, Assigning contact properties for general contact in Abaqus/Explicit, and Assigning contact properties for contact pairs in Abaqus/Explicit for details). Mechanical contact property models:

  • may include a constitutive model for the contact pressure-overclosure relationship that governs the motion of the surfaces;

  • may include a damping model that defines forces resisting the relative motions of the contacting surfaces;

  • may include a friction model that defines the force resisting the relative tangential motion of the surfaces;

  • may include a constitutive model in which you define the normal and tangential behavior in user subroutine UINTER in Abaqus/Standard;

  • may include a constitutive model in which you define the normal and tangential behavior in user subroutine VUINTER in Abaqus/Explicit when using the contact pair algorithm;

  • may include a constitutive model in which you define the normal and tangential behavior in user subroutine VUINTERACTION in Abaqus/Explicit when using the general contact algorithm;

  • in Abaqus/Standard may include a constitutive model for the penetration of fluid between two contacting surfaces;

  • in Abaqus/Standard may include a constitutive model for the interaction of debonded surfaces;

  • in Abaqus/Explicit may include a constitutive model that simulates the failure of bonds connecting the interacting bodies; and

  • may include surface-based cohesive behavior that allows modeling of delamination of bonds or “sticky” contact using progressive damage evolution models.

This section provides a general outline of how to define the components of a mechanical contact property model. Specific details about the different components of the contact property models and the algorithms used for the contact calculations are found in other sections of this chapter.

The following topics are discussed:

Related Topics
About contact interactions
About contact pairs in Abaqus/Standard
Assigning contact properties for general contact in Abaqus/Explicit
Assigning contact properties for contact pairs in Abaqus/Explicit
Contact pressure-overclosure relationships
Contact damping
Contact blockage
Frictional behavior
User-defined interfacial constitutive behavior
Pressure penetration loading
Interaction of debonded surfaces
Breakable bonds
Contact cohesive behavior
In Other Guides
*SURFACE INTERACTION
Understanding interaction properties