INDEPENDENT MESHING OF CONTACTING SURFACES USING FICTITIOUS NODES IN BOUNDARY-ELEMENT ANALYSIS

A boundary element solution method for two-dimensional and axisymmetri c contact problems with friction using a fictitious-node approach is p resented. The algorithm is based on an independent discretization of t he contacting surfaces by using the element shape functions to distrib ute the geometry on each contact element and introducing fictitious no des within the interface in order to apply the contact constraints exa ctly. Frictional slipping is modelled according to Coulomb's law of fr iction, and the contact iterations am performed through an automatic i terative procedure. The approach is developed for contact problems und er static and proportional loading conditions. Several examples are pr esented to demonstrate the accuracy of the algorithm.