Stability and patch test performance of contact discretizations and a new solution algorithm

Stability and patch test performance are two important issues influencing t he selection of discretization algorithms for flexible body contact problem s. The patch test performance is dictated by the accuracy of evaluation of the contact integrals, not by the specific form of the gap, contact pressur e, or contact surface definitions. Stability on the other hand, is related to the form of the assumed contact pressure distribution. In this paper, se veral commonly used contact algorithms are briefly summarized, and their st ability in an inf-sup test and performance in a contact patch test are asse ssed. The existing algorithms do not satisfy both requirements. This fact h as motivated the development of a new algorithm for flexible body contact p roblems that results in a symmetric coefficient matrix and satisfies both t he stability and the contact patch conditions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Lt d. All rights reserved.