Numerical modeling of the contact between three-dimensional regions with the use of FEM

¹ Czestochowa University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Institute of Mechanics and Machine Design Fundamentals, Dąbrowskiego 73, 42-201 Częstochowa, Poland
² Czestochowa University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Institute of Mathematics, Armii Krajowej 21, 42-201 Częstochowa, Poland

^* Corresponding author: t.skrzypczak@imipkm.pcz.pl

Abstract

The numerical approach based on the finite element method (FEM) for modeling of mechanical interaction between three-dimensional objects is presented in the paper. The model of contact is based on the assumption that the nodes of the region which is the source of contact cannot overlap with the nodes of the region being the target. The procedure of the detection of collision between surfaces of the source and the target is discussed in details. The behaviour of surfaces being in contact depends on their rigidity and is numerically modeled in the case of perfectly rigid source and deformable target. Each modeled object has an independent mesh of finite elements. These meshes can be freely moved relative to each other. Example of calculation using original program written in C++ is presented and discussed.