ProductsAbaqus/StandardAbaqus/Explicit Creating a node-based surfaceYou create a node-based surface by specifying the nodes or node sets that form the surface. You must assign a name to the node-based surface; this name will be used when defining contact interactions that involve the surface. An optional associated area can be defined for each node. If no area is defined for a node and the surface is defined in a contact pair, the area specified as part of the contact property definition is used. If no area is specified as part of the contact property definition, a unit area is used. In Abaqus/Explicit the area used in contact pair calculations for a node in a node-based surface is always 1.0, regardless of the user-specified value. Therefore, the contact pressure output variable in Abaqus/CAE should be interpreted as the contact force when a node-based surface is used for contact pairs in Abaqus/Explicit. In models that are defined in terms of an assembly of part instances, all surfaces must belong to a part, part instance, or the assembly. Additional rules are given in Assembly definition. When the nodes of shell and membrane elements are used in a node-based surface, the thickness and midsurface offset of the shell or membrane at each node are not considered. However, a nonzero thickness can be assigned to node-based surfaces when used with the general contact algorithm in Abaqus/Explicit (see Assigning surface properties for general contact in Abaqus/Explicit for more information). Input File Usage SURFACE, NAME=name, TYPE=NODE node number or node set, area |