Node to Surface Contact

Facts about node to surface contact:

• Does not require that the faces are initially touching.

• Does not require compatible mesh between source and target faces.

• Allows vertices, edges, and faces as Set 1 entities.

• 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, you can use this option Thermal Resistance.

• Although Surface to Surface contact is more accurate in general, the Node to Surface option gives better results if the contact area between the two faces becomes very small or reduce to a line or point.

• The figure shows a possible deformation of two faces with incompatible mesh.

• For each node on the source, the software assigns one or more element faces on the target.

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.

• Surface Contact: Prevents interference but allows separation.