Small and finite sliding

When using the small-sliding formulation, Abaqus/Standard establishes the relationship between the secondary nodes and the main surface at the beginning of the simulation. Abaqus/Standard determines which segment on the main surface will interact with each node on the secondary surface. It maintains these relationships throughout the analysis, never changing which main surface segments interact with which secondary nodes. If geometric nonlinearity is included in the model, the small-sliding algorithm accounts for any rotation and deformation of the main surface and updates the load path through which the contact forces are transmitted. If geometric nonlinearity is not included in the model, any rotation or deformation of the main surface is ignored and the load path remains fixed.

The finite-sliding contact formulation requires that Abaqus/Standard continually track which part of the main surface is in contact with each secondary node. This is a very complex calculation, especially if both the contacting bodies are deformable. The structures in such simulations can be either two- or three-dimensional. Abaqus/Standard can also model the finite-sliding self-contact of a deformable body. Such a situation occurs when a structure folds over onto itself.

The finite-sliding formulation for contact between a deformable body and a rigid surface is not as complex as the finite-sliding formulation for two deformable bodies. Finite-sliding simulations where the main surface is rigid can be performed for both two- and three-dimensional models.

Both the contact pair algorithm and general contact can consider either small or finite sliding effects.