Finite Element Analysis of Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Bridges - Finite Element Analysis and Design of Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Bridges - page 484

problems in which two different parts are connected in some way.
Sometimes, connections are simple, such as two panels of sheet metal spot
welded together or a link member connected to a frame with a hinge.
Connector elements can account for internal friction, such as the lateral
force or moments on a bolt generating friction in the translation of the bolt
along a slot. Failure conditions are reached, where excess force or displace-
ment inside the connection causes the entire connection or a single compo-
nent of relative motion to break free. Connector elements can provide an
easy and versatile way to model many types of physical mechanisms whose
geometry is discrete (i.e., node to node), yet the kinematic and kinetic
relationships describing the connection are complex.
5.2.2 Contact and Interaction Elements
5.2.2.1 General
Contact between two bodies can be modeled using the contact analysis
capabilities in ABAQUS [1.29]. The software provides more than one
approach for defining contact comprising general contact ( Figure 5.12 ) ,
contact pairs ( Figure 5.13 ), and contact elements. Each approach has unique
advantages and limitations. A contact simulation using contact pairs or gen-
eral contact is defined by specifying surface definitions for the bodies that
could potentially be in contact. The surfaces will interact with one another
(the contact interactions). The mechanical and thermal contact property
models can be specified in these types of contact, such as the pressure-
overclosure relationship, the friction coefficient, or the contact conduction
Figure 5.12 An example of general contact approach with feature edges at the
perimeter of an active contact region as given in ABAQUS [1.29].