This paper describes modern techniques used to solve contact problems within Computational Mechanics. On the basis of a continuum description of contact, the mathematical structure of the contact formulation for finite element methods is derived. Emphasis is also placed on the constitutive behavior at the contact interface for normal and tangential (frictional) contact. Furthermore, different discretization schemes currently applied to solve engineering problems are formulated for small and finite strain problems. These include isoparametric interpolations, node-to-segment discretizations and also mortar and Nitsche techniques. Furthermore, several algorithms related to spatial contact search and fulfillment of the inequality constraints at the contact interface are discussed. Here, especially the penalty and Lagrange multiplier schemes are considered and also SQP- and linear-programming methods are reviewed.


Keywords:

contact mechanics;
friction;
penalty method;
Lagrange multiplier method;
contact algorithms;
finite element method;
finite deformations;
discretization methods

Computational Contact Mechanics

Vibration based condition monitoring refers to the use of in situ non-destructive sensing and analysis of system characteristics –in the time, frequency or modal domains –for the purpose of detecting changes, which may indicate damage or degradation. In the field of civil engineering, monitoring systems have the potential to facilitate the more economical management and maintenance of modern infrastructure. This paper reviews the state of the art in vibration based condition monitoring with particular emphasis on structural engineering applications.

Vibration Based Condition Monitoring: A Review:

A review of techniques, advances and outstanding issues in numerical modelling for rock mechanics and rock engineering

Multi-scale computational homogenization: Trends and challenges

1 Formulation of the equations of motion 2 Element energy functions 3 Introduction to the finite element displacement method 4 In-plane vibration of plates 5 Vibration of solids 6 Flexural vibration of plates 7 Vibration of stiffened plates and folded plate structures 8 Vibration of shells 9 Vibration of laminated plates and shells 10 Hierarchical finite element method 11 Analysis of free vibration 12 Forced response 13 Forced response II 14 Computer analysis technique

Introduction to finite element vibration analysis

A Transient Thermal Creep Model for the Hygral-Thermal-Mechanical Analysis of Concrete

Computer modelling of concrete structures : proceedings of the EURO-C 1994 International Conference held in Innsbruck, Austria 22nd-25th March 1994

Various stress return algorithms in elastoplastic analyses using the finite element method require the evaluation of the contact (or penetration) stress state (Figure 1), defining the transition from elastic to elastoplastic behaviour. Various iterative schemes are commonly used to evaluate contact stress state with a great degree of precision, as subsequent analysis process (forward Euler, mid‐point rule stress return scheme) is greatly affected by the evaluation of the contact stress state, as has been stressed by several authors.

Nenad Bićanić

Papers

A Transient Thermal Creep Model for the Hygral-Thermal-Mechanical Analysis of Concrete

Computer modelling of concrete structures : proceedings of the EURO-C 1994 International Conference held in Innsbruck, Austria 22nd-25th March 1994

Exact evaluation of contact stress state in computational elasto‐plasticity

Computational frameworks for discontinuous modelling of structural masonry

Discontinuous modelling in structural masonry