ContactExp object

The ContactExp object defines the contact domain and associated properties during contact in an Abaqus/Explicit analysis.

The ContactExp object is derived from the Interaction object.

This page discusses:

Access
ContactExp(...)
ContactExp(...)
Members
Corresponding analysis keywords

Access

import interaction
mdb.models[name].interactions[name]

ContactExp(...)

This method creates a ContactExp object.

Path

mdb.models[name].ContactExp

Required arguments

name: A String specifying the repository key.
createStepName: A String specifying the name of the step in which this contact interaction is created.

Optional arguments

useAllstar: A Boolean specifying whether the contacting surface pair consists of all exterior faces, shell edges, beam segments, analytical rigid surfaces, and, when applicable, Eulerian material surfaces.
globalSmoothing: A Boolean specifying whether surface smoothing (geometric correction) is automatically applied to all eligible surfaces. The default value is ON.
includedPairs: A RegionPairs object specifying the domain pairs included in contact.
excludedPairs: A RegionPairs object specifying the domain pairs excluded from contact.
contactPropertyAssignments: A ContactPropertyAssignment object specifying the contact property assignments in the contact domain.
surfaceThicknessAssignments: A SurfaceThicknessAssignment object specifying the surface thickness assignments in the contact domain.
surfaceOffsetAssignments: A SurfaceOffsetAssignment object specifying the surface offset fraction assignments in the contact domain.
surfaceFeatureAssignments: A SurfaceFeatureAssignment object specifying the surface feature angle assignments in the contact domain.
smoothingAssignments: A SmoothingAssignment object specifying the surface smoothing assignments in the contact domain.
surfaceCrushTriggerAssignments: A SurfaceCrushTriggerAssignment object specifying the surface crush trigger assignments in the contact domain.
surfaceFrictionAssignments: A SurfaceFrictionAssignment object specifying the surface friction assignments in the contact domain.
mainSecondaryAssignments: A MainSecondaryAssignment object specifying the main-secondary assignments in the contact domain.
PolarityAssignments: A PolarityAssignments object specifying the polarity assignments in the contact domain.

Return value

A ContactExp object.

Exceptions

None.

ContactExp(...)

This method creates a ContactExp object.

Path

mdb.models[name].ContactExp

Required arguments

name: A String specifying the repository key.
createStepName: A String specifying the name of the step in which this contact interaction is created.

Optional arguments

globalSmoothing

A Boolean specifying whether surface smoothing (geometric correction) is automatically applied to all eligible surfaces. The default value is ON.

surfaceCrushTriggerAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying the surface crush trigger assignments. Each tuple contains four entries:

A region or a material object or the SymbolicConstant GLOBAL specifying the surface to which the feature angle is assigned.
A SymbolicConstant specifying the trigger option to be used for the surface. Possible values of the SymbolicConstant are TRIGGER, NO_TRIGGER, or NO_CRUSH.
A Float specifying the crush stress value to be used for the surface.
A Float specifying the crush initiation angle value to be used for the surface.
A Float specifying the crush continuation angle value to be used for the surface.

surfaceFrictionAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying the surface friction assignments. Each tuple contains two entries:

A region or a material object or the SymbolicConstant GLOBAL specifying the surface to which the friction coefficient is assigned.
A Float specifying the overriding friction coefficient to be used in the contact definition.

useAllstar

A Boolean specifying whether the contacting surface pair consists of all exterior faces, shell edges, beam segments, analytical rigid surfaces, and, when applicable, Eulerian material surfaces.

includedPairs

A sequence of pairs of Region objects or SymbolicConstants that specifies the surface pairs in contact. Possible values of the SymbolicConstants are ALLSTAR and SELF. This argument is valid only when useAllstar=OFF.

excludedPairs

A sequence of pairs of Region objects or SymbolicConstants that specify the surface pairs excluded from contact. Possible values of the SymbolicConstants are ALLSTAR and SELF.

contactPropertyAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying the properties assigned to each surface pair. Each tuple contains three entries:

A Region object or the SymbolicConstant GLOBAL.
A Region object or the SymbolicConstant SELF.
A String specifying an InteractionProperty object associated with this pair of regions.

surfaceThicknessAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying the surface thickness assignments in the contact domain. Each tuple contains three entries:

A region object or the SymbolicConstant GLOBAL specifying the surface to which the surface thickness is assigned.
A Float or a SymbolicConstant specifying the overriding thickness value to be used in the contact definition. Possible values of the SymbolicConstant are ORIGINAL or THINNING.
A Float specifying a scale factor that multiplies the thickness value specified in the second entry.

surfaceOffsetAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying the surface offset fraction assignments in the contact domain. Each tuple contains two entries:

A region object or the SymbolicConstant GLOBAL specifying the surface to which the surface offset fraction is assigned.
A Float or a SymbolicConstant specifying the offset fraction value to be used in the contact definition. Possible values of the SymbolicConstant are ORIGINAL, SPOS, or SNEG.

surfaceFeatureAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying the surface feature angle assignments in the contact domain. Each tuple contains two entries:

A region object or the SymbolicConstant GLOBAL specifying the surface to which the surface feature angle is assigned.
A Float or a SymbolicConstant specifying the overriding feature angle value to be used in the contact definition. Possible values of the SymbolicConstant are PERIMETER, ALL, PICKED, or NONE.

smoothingAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying the surface smoothing assignments in the contact domain. Each tuple contains two entries:

A region object specifying the surface to which the smoothing option is assigned.
A SymbolicConstant specifying the smoothing option to be used in the contact definition. Possible values of the SymbolicConstant are NONE, REVOLUTION, SPHERICAL, or TOROIDAL.

mainSecondaryAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying pure main-secondary assignments in the contact domain. Each tuple contains three entries:

A region object or the SymbolicConstant GLOBAL specifying the first surface that defines the main-secondary assignment.
A region object specifying the second surface in the main-secondary assignment definition.
A SymbolicConstant specifying the status of the first surface. Possible values are MAIN and SECONDARY.

polarityAssignments

A sequence of tuples specifying polarity assignments in the contact domain. Each tuple contains three entries:

A region object or the SymbolicConstant GLOBAL specifying the first surface that defines the polarity assignment.
A region object specifying the second surface in the polarity assignment definition.
A SymbolicConstant specifying the polarity of the second surface. Possible values are SPOS, SNEG, and TWO_SIDED.

Return value

A ContactExp object.

Exceptions

None.

Members

The ContactExp object can have the following members:

name: A String specifying the repository key.
globalSmoothing: A Boolean specifying whether surface smoothing (geometric correction) is automatically applied to all eligible surfaces. The default value is ON.
includedPairs: A RegionPairs object specifying the domain pairs included in contact.
excludedPairs: A RegionPairs object specifying the domain pairs excluded from contact.
contactPropertyAssignments: A ContactPropertyAssignment object specifying the contact property assignments in the contact domain.
surfaceThicknessAssignments: A SurfaceThicknessAssignment object specifying the surface thickness assignments in the contact domain.
surfaceOffsetAssignments: A SurfaceOffsetAssignment object specifying the surface offset fraction assignments in the contact domain.
surfaceFeatureAssignments: A SurfaceFeatureAssignment object specifying the surface feature angle assignments in the contact domain.
smoothingAssignments: A SmoothingAssignment object specifying the surface smoothing assignments in the contact domain.
mainSecondaryAssignments: A MainSecondaryAssignment object specifying the main-secondary assignments in the contact domain.
polarityAssignments: A PolarityAssignment object specifying the polarity assignments in the contact domain.
assignBeamCrossSection: A Boolean specifying whether to assign the beam cross section. The default value is False.
beamCrossSection: A SymbolicConstant specifying whether the contact calculations should be based on a circumferential approximation or the actual cross section of the beam element. Possible values are CIRCUMSCRIBED_CIRCLE and EXACT.

Corresponding analysis keywords

CONTACT