Strategy: Using Static Analysis with Contacts Effectively
If you encounter problems using static analysis with contacts, consider the following questions:
• If your contact interfaces are frictionless, is the model properly constrained against motion tangential to the contact surfaces?
Note that frictionless contacts provide support in the normal direction only.
• Is the value of initial interpenetration at contact interfaces too large?
You can check this in the rpt file by examining the results at time 0. If it is too large or if results appear incorrect then select
Maximum initial interpenetration and enter an appropriate value in the adjacent edit box.
• Were any contacts missed?
• In terms of mesh refinement, how large are the elements in the vicinity of the contact?
For accurate stress and pressure results in the vicinity of the contact, restrict the size of the elements adjacent to the contact zone by seeding that area with datum points. These elements should not be much larger than the zone. If Creo Simulate detects this size discrepancy, the following warning message will appear in the summary file:
Contact area is small in comparison to size of adjacent element edges for one or more contacts. If you need pressure results near the contacts, use single-pass adaptive convergence and select Localized Mesh Refinement.