Tube-to-Tube Contact Element Library

This section provides a reference to the tube-to-tube contact elements available in Abaqus/Standard.

This page discusses:

See Also
Tube-to-Tube Contact Elements
In Other Guides
*INTERFACE
*SLIDE LINE

Products Abaqus/Standard

Element Types

ITT21

Tube-to-tube element for use with two-dimensional beam and pipe elements

ITT31

Tube-to-tube element for use with three-dimensional beam and pipe elements

Active Degrees of Freedom

ITT21: 1, 2

ITT31: 1, 2, 3

Additional Solution Variables

ITT21: Two additional variables relating to the contact forces.

ITT31: Three additional variables relating to the contact forces.

Nodal Coordinates Required

ITT21: X, Y

ITT31: X, Y, Z

Element Property Definition

Input File Usage

Use the following option to identify the second (outer) pipe with which the specified ITT contact elements on the first (inner) pipe can interact:

SLIDE LINE

Use the following option to give the radial clearance between the pipes as a positive number when modeling a tube sliding within another tube:

INTERFACE

When the elements are modeling contact between the exterior surfaces of two pipes, the sum of the external radii of the pipes is given as a negative number.

Element-Based Loading

None.

Element Output

Stress Components

S11

Normal component of the force between the two pipes.

S12

Shear force between the two pipes, parallel to the axis of the second (outer) pipe.

S13

Shear force between the two pipes, normal to the contact direction and to the axis of the second (outer) pipe (for ITT31 only).

Strain Components

E11

Overclosure of the surfaces in the direction normal to the tangent to the centerline of the second (outer) pipe.

E12

Accumulated relative tangential motion between the two pipes, parallel to the axis of the second (outer) pipe.

E13

Accumulated relative tangential motion between the two pipes, normal to the contact direction and to the axis of the second (outer) pipe (for ITT31 only).

Node Ordering and Integration Point Numbering

2D Internal Tube Contact



 

2D External Tube Contact



 

3D Internal Tube Contact



 

3D External Tube Contact