A FEM-BEM fast methodology for 3D frictional contact problems

This paper presents a new and efficient methodology for 3D frictional contact problems based on the Generalized Newton Method with line search (GNMls). The influence coefficients modeling the behavior of solids are approached by means of the Finite Element Method (FEM) and/or the Boundary Element Method (BEM). The contact problem is based on an Augmented Lagrangian formulation and the use of projection functions to establish the contact restrictions. A new and more simplified projection operator is presented, which makes it possible to obtain a quasi-complementarity of the contact variables. As a consequence, the number of contact problem unknowns is reduced. This, together with the use of iterative resolution techniques for computing the Newton line search, results in a fast and reliable algorithm, as shown in the examples solved in this paper. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.