Edge-to-Edge Contact (Simcenter Nastran, Simcenter 3D Multiphysics)

In axisymmetric structural and in structural solutions, you can use the Edge-to-Edge Contact command to define contact conditions between selected polygon or element edges. With this command, you can define contact conditions between the following types of elements:

• Axisymmetric elements (CTRAX3, CQUADX4, CTRAX6 and CQUADX8).

• Plane strain elements (CPLSTN3, CPLSTN4, CPLSTN6, and CPLSTN8).

• Plane stress elements (CPLSTS3, CPLSTS4, CPLSTS6, CPLSTS8).

Note:

The elements must be oriented in the XZ plane.

Supported analysis types

With Simcenter Nastran, you can use the Edge-to-Edge Contact command to define contact conditions between edges in an axisymmetric structural analysis (SOL 101) or structural analysis (SOL 101, SOL 103, SOL 111, SOL 112, SOL 401, and SOL 402). With Simcenter 3D Multiphysics, you can use the command in the Coupled and Structural analysis types.

Defining the source and target edges with regions

You use regions to define the locations in the model where you expect contact to occur. A region is a collection of homogenous entities that you can use to define boundary conditions, such as glue and contact definitions.

• To have the software use edge separation conditions in the FEM file to automatically create the regions, select Automatic Edge to Edge Pairing and click Edge Pairs. You can use the Create Automatic Edge Pairs dialog box to select the edge separation conditions to use to determine the contacting edges. You can also use the Grouping option to control how the software groups the edge pairs in the edge separation conditions into contact or glue definitions.Note: The software lists the names of the edge separation conditions that define the contacting edges in the Description column of the Simulation Navigator for the appropriate Edge-to-Edge Contact objects.If the edges in an edge separation condition change because the FEM file updates, the software does not update the associated Edge-to-Edge Contact definition. If an edge in an edge separation condition is deleted or its ID changes because the FEM file updates, the software changes the status of the associated Edge-to-Edge Contact definition to asleep (inactive).For more information on edge separation conditions, see Edge Separation Condition.

• To manually create regions to specify source and target edges in the contact definition, select Manual Edge to Edge Contact and you use the Source Region and Target Region options to select or create simulation regions to define the contacting edges.For more information on regions, see Working with reusable regions.When you manually create regions where the source edge or target edge is an internal edge, special considerations apply. For information on these considerations, see Internal edges for source and target regions.

Additional contact parameters

Use the Contact Parameters modeling object to define additional parameters to control the contact algorithm. A Contact Parameters modeling object corresponds to the following Nastran bulk entries.

• BCTPARM (SOL 101, SOL 103, SOL 111, SOL 112, and SOL 401) in the Simcenter Nastran Quick Reference Guide

• BCTPAR2 (SOL 402) in the Simcenter Nastran Quick Reference Guide

For information on contact capabilities in nonlinear solutions, see Contact for Linear Solutions in the Simcenter Nastran User's Guide

Requesting contact output

In Simcenter Nastran, you use the BCRESULTS case control command to request edge-to-edge contact force, traction, and separation distance output. In Pre/Post, create a Structural Output Requests modeling object and select the Enable BCRESULTS Request check box on the Contact Result page.

Associated Simcenter Nastran syntax

When you solve or export your model:

• The Edge-to-Edge Contact command corresponds to the BCTSET bulk entry in your Simcenter Nastran input file. For more information, see BCTSET in the Simcenter Nastran Quick Reference Guide.

• The Region command corresponds to the BEDGE bulk entry for the source (edge) and target (edge) regions. For more information, see BEDGE in the Simcenter Nastran Quick Reference Guide.

Where do I find it?

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisite	A Simulation file as the work part and displayed partSimcenter Nastran or Simcenter 3D Multiphysics as the specified solverAxisymmetric structural or structural (Simcenter Nastran) or Coupled or Structural (Simcenter 3D Multiphysics) as the specified analysis type SOL 101, SOL 401, or SOL 402 (Simcenter Nastran), or Multi-Step Nonlinear (Simcenter 3D Multiphysics) as the specified solution type
Command Finder	Edge-to-Edge Contact
Simulation Navigator	Right-click Simulation Objects→New Simulation Object→Edge-to-Edge Contact

How do I

Define surface-to-surface contact

Define surface-to-surface gluing (Simcenter Nastran)

Define edge-to-surface gluing

Create an axisymmetric nonlinear contact

Learn more

Contact and glue overview (Simcenter Nastran, Simcenter 3D Multiphysics)

Defining parameters for contact conditions (Simcenter Nastran)

Defining parameters for glue conditions

Previewing contact and glue element locations (Simcenter Nastran)

Surface-to-Surface Contact (Simcenter Nastran, Simcenter 3D Multiphysics, Abaqus, ANSYS)

Surface-to-surface gluing (Simcenter Nastran, Simcenter 3D Multiphysics)

Internal edges for source and target regions

Edge-to-Surface Gluing (Simcenter Nastran)

Controlling the stiffness of edge-to-surface glue (Simcenter Nastran)

Edge-to-Edge Gluing (Simcenter Nastran, Simcenter 3D Multiphysics)

Advanced nonlinear contact for axisymmetric elements (Simcenter Nastran)

Automatic face pairing

Quick links

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

Bulk Entry Descriptions

Simcenter 3D tutorials

Browse Simcenter 3D help by product area

Edge-to-Edge Contact (Simcenter Nastran, Simcenter 3D Multiphysics), Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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