Node to Node Contact
Facts about node to node contact:
Available only for faces that are initially touching.
Requires compatible mesh. The program creates
coincident nodes on source and target faces.
This contact formulation is available with the
No Penetration contact type for
static, nonlinear, and thermal studies. For static and nonlinear studies,
this contact type prevents interference between the source and target
faces but allows them to move away from each other to form gaps. For thermal
problems, each two coincident nodes maintain the same temperature at all
times.
NOTE:
The program selects the candidates for source and target faces internally.
They are defined using the Set 1 and
Set 2 entities in the Contact
Set PropertyManager.
This formulation is faster than node to surface
and surface to surface, but it is the least accurate for general structural
problems with sliding or large rotations. The accuracy of the results
depends on the loading, being best if the two faces are pressed against
each other without much sliding or relative rotations. The accuracy reduces
as the loading causes large sliding or rotations. For such problems, use
the Node to Surface or Surface
to Surface options and activate large
displacements. For thermal problems, the accuracy is less sensitive
since there is no movement. However, for thermal stress problems, the
thermal and structural studies must have compatible contact settings.
The figure illustrates a possible deformation
of two faces that were initially touching.
