Assigning contact properties for contact pairs in Abaqus/Standard

Contact properties:

define the mechanical and thermal surface interaction models that govern the behavior of surfaces when they are in contact; and
are assigned to individual contact pairs.

The following topics are discussed:

Assigning a surface interaction definition to a contact pair

Assigning a surface interaction definition to a contact pair

A surface interaction definition specifies the constitutive contact properties and the constraint enforcement methods used by a contact pair. Every contact pair in a model must refer to a surface interaction definition, even if the contact pair uses the default contact property models. See About mechanical contact properties for information on defining contact properties. A non-default constraint enforcement method can be specified as part of a surface interaction definition, as described in Contact constraint enforcement methods in Abaqus/Standard.

Multiple contact pairs can refer to the same surface interaction definition.

The surface interaction definition is also used to provide a non-default value for the surface out-of-plane thickness in the following cases:

a two-dimensional model, or
a contact pair involving a node-based surface to provide a non-default cross-sectional area at every node in the node-based surface.

Abaqus/Standard uses the out-of-plane surface thickness and cross-sectional area provided in the surface interaction definition to compute the contact stresses.

Input File Usage

Use both of the following options:

CONTACT PAIR, INTERACTION=interaction_property_name
SURFACE INTERACTION, NAME=interaction_property_name

Abaqus/CAE Usage

Interaction module:

Create Interaction Property: Name: interaction_property_name, Contact

Interaction editor: Contact interaction property: interaction_property_name

Example

Figure 1 shows the mesh used in this example. For purposes of this example, the surface ASURF is the slave surface of the contact pair. The property definition for the contact pair (GRATING) uses the finite-sliding, node-to-surface formulation with a friction model with $μ$ =0.4 and uses the default “hard” contact model for the behavior normal to the surfaces.

Figure 1. Mechanical surface interaction with friction and finite sliding.

HEADING
…
SURFACE, NAME=ASURF
ESETA,
SURFACE, NAME=BSURF
ESETB,
CONTACT PAIR, INTERACTION=GRATING
ASURF, BSURF
SURFACE INTERACTION, NAME=GRATING
FRICTION
0.4
NSET, NSET=SNODES
101, 102, 103
STEP, NLGEOM
…
END STEP