A finite volume penalty based segment-to-segment method for frictional contact problems

This paper presents a new contact boundary condition for finite volume simulations of frictional contact problems involving geometrical and material non-linearities. Deforma-tion of bodies in contact is described by the updated Lagrangian form of the momentum equation which is discretised in space using the cell-centred finite volume method. The proposed contact boundary condition is based on the finite volume implementation of the penalty based segment-to-segment contact force calculation method in which normal con-tact pressure, governed by a penalty law, is integrated across the discretised contact sur-face, enforcing contact constraints in an integral manner. Such an approach, as opposed to the pointwise contact force calculation algorithm, allows for more accurate and more ro-bust treatment of the contact area edge, simultaneous calculation of contact forces on both contact surfaces as well as smoother contact force during large sliding. The proposed nu-merical method is tested on challenging mechanical contact problems showing very good agreement with the available benchmark results. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This paper introduces a new contact boundary condition for finite volume simulations of frictional contact problems, based on penalty based segment-to-segment contact force calculation method. Compared to pointwise contact force calculation algorithm, this approach allows for more accurate and robust treatment of contact area edge.