International Journal for Simulation and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

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Int. J. Simul. Multidisci. Des. Optim. 2, 25-35 (2008)
DOI: 10.1051/smdo:2008003

A new smooth contact element: 3D diffuse contact element

D. Chamoret¹, A. Rassineux² and J.M. Bergheau³

¹ Laboratoire M3M, UTBM, Site de Sévenans, 90010 Belfort Cedex, France
² Laboratoire Roberval, FRE 2833 CNRS/UTC, BP 20.529, 60205 Compiègne Cedex, France
³ LTDS, UMR5513, CNRS/ECL/ENISE, 58 rue Jean Parot, 42023 Saint-Étienne, France

(Received 27 August 2007, accepted 14 January 2008; published online16 May 2008)

Abstract
Many difficulties due to geometrical and material non-linearities arise when dealing with numerical simulation of contact problems. Within a finite element context, the contact interface is usually represented by a piecewise differentiable surface. Numerical problems due to the non-smoothness of the contact surface may occur especially when large slips are considered. Major changes of normal and tangential vectors may impede both convergence and precision. In order to smooth the contact interface and to release constraints due to the mesh, we propose a technique in which diffuse approximation is combined with a determination of neighboring nodes by a convex hull strategy. The formulation is developed for three-dimensional applications with frictionless contact and a 3D diffuse contact element has been developed. The efficiency of the approach has been validated with industrial frictionless contact problems.

Key words: Contact modelling -- finite element method -- implicit method -- smooth contact surface -- diffuse approximation -- contact element -- neighbourhood criterion -- convex hulls