Contact Non Linearities
This module focused on one of the most challenging aspects of FEM: contact mechanics. Unlike predefined connections, contact introduces changing boundaries, friction, and large stiffness variations that make simulations highly nonlinear and sensitive to setup choices
The assignments explored several key aspects:
Contact formulations: comparing penalty methods, augmented Lagrange, and pure Lagrange approaches, evaluating their impact on accuracy and convergence.
Friction modeling: studying how friction coefficients affect stress distribution, sliding, and convergence stability.
Geometrical details: analyzing how mesh density, element type, and surface discretization influence contact stresses, especially at edges and corners where artificial peaks can occur.
Load transfer and stiffness: simulating how contact pairs respond under compression, sliding, and separation, and validating results against analytical or simplified models.
These exercises highlighted that contact problems demand a balance between computational cost and realism. Overly coarse meshes can miss local stress concentrations, while overly fine ones can cause divergence or impractical solve times
This module developed my ability to set up and interpret contact problems - skills essential for analyzing assemblies like bolted joints, bearings, seals, or gear interactions. It reinforced that correct contact definitions and solver settings are as critical as the geometry itself in achieving reliable results