Defining contact within the same instance and self-contact

You can use the contact detection tool to define contact between different areas of the same part instance or model instance. This capability is particularly useful for complicated models that are imported into Abaqus/CAE as a single part instance. If you enable the Include pairs with surfaces on the same instance option, Abaqus/CAE checks different geometry or element faces on the same part instance or model instance to determine whether or not they meet the separation and orientation requirements. Surfaces and contact pairs are defined on any faces that meet the requirements.

In some situations, surface extension options cause the main and secondary surfaces to overlap. If the main surface and the secondary surface consist of the same faces, Abaqus/CAE automatically adjusts the contact pair to create a self-contact interaction, in which a surface contacts itself during deformation. A single surface is created in this situation.