Define contact
initialization methods for general contact.
This option is used to define contact initialization methods. The contact
initialization method is applied to a contact interaction using the
CONTACT INITIALIZATION ASSIGNMENT
option.
Set this parameter equal to a label that is used to refer to this contact initialization method.
Optional, mutually exclusive parameters
INITIAL CLEARANCE
Set this parameter equal to a positive value to specify an initial clearance
distance.
In Abaqus/Standard set this parameter equal to the name of a CLEARANCE option to specify an
initial clearance distance. The named clearance definition can be used for general
contact interactions in portions of the model where the small-sliding tracking
approach is active or for interactions in heat transfer and coupled electrical-thermal
procedures that have no mechanical degrees of freedom. For interactions with the
finite-sliding tracking approach, the clearance definition is ignored.
INTERFERENCE FIT
Include this parameter without setting it to a value to treat initial
overclosures as interference fits.
Set this parameter equal to a positive value to specify an interference
distance.
If this parameter is omitted, initial overclosures are resolved with
strain-free adjustments.
Optional parameters
ADJUST
Set
ADJUST=YES
(default) to resolve clearances/overclosures by adjusting the nodal coordinates
without creating strain in the model. In Abaqus/Explicit (which allows step-dependent general contact definitions)
ADJUST=YES
can be used only for clearances/overclosures defined in the first step of an analysis.
Set
ADJUST=NO
to store contact offsets so that the clearances/overclosures can be satisfied without
adjusting the nodal coordinates. In Abaqus/Standard this setting can be used for general contact interactions in
portions of the model where the small-sliding tracking approach is active or for
interactions in heat transfer and coupled electrical-thermal procedures that have no
mechanical degrees of freedom. The setting is ignored when the
INTERFERENCE FIT parameter or the
INITIAL CLEARANCE parameter with a
value are specified.
MINIMUM DISTANCE
This parameter applies only to
Abaqus/Standard
analyses.
Set MINIMUM DISTANCE=YES (default) to automatically activate localized contact damping
when nearby surfaces are touching at only a single point.
Set MINIMUM DISTANCE=NO to forgo this automatic localized damping.
SEARCH ABOVE
Set this parameter equal to a positive value to ensure that the search zone
for contact initialization includes gaps at least as large as the specified
value.
SEARCH BELOW
Set this parameter equal to a positive value to ensure that the search zone
for contact initialization includes overclosures at least as large as the
specified value.
SEARCH NSET
This parameter applies only to
Abaqus/Explicit
analyses using the INITIAL CLEARANCE parameter. It cannot be used if either the SEARCH ABOVE or SEARCH BELOW parameter is used.
Set this parameter equal to the name of the node set containing the secondary nodes to be
included in the initial clearance specification. The specified clearance is enforced
at all secondary nodes in this node set irrespective of whether they are above or
below their respective main surfaces. This parameter can also be used to identify
initially bonded nodes in a VCCT analysis.
STEP FRACTION
This parameter applies only to
Abaqus/Explicit
analyses using the INTERFERENCE FIT parameter.
Fraction of the step time (between 0.0 and 1.0) in which the interference
fit has to be solved. The default value is 1.0.
There are no data lines associated with this option.