Interface Measures
Use interface measures to monitor various aspects of interfaces and their behaviors during a structure or thermal analysis.
When you select Interface in the Quantity, a second quantity list appears in the Quantity area of the Measure Definition dialog box. Select a quantity from the second quantity list.
You can create different types of interfaces in Creo Simulate structure and thermal. The table gives a list of interface measures for each type of interface in structure and thermal:
Product
Type of Interface
Interface Measures
Description
Structure
Bonded
Force
Calculates the resultant force over a bonded interface.
Free
-
Contact
Force
Calculates the resultant force over a contact interface.
Area
Calculates the total area of all the selected contact interfaces.
Maximum
Pressure
Reports the maximum pressure over the selected contact interface.
Average
Pressure
Reports the average pressure over the selected contacts.
Load
Reports the contact pressure integrated over the area of the contact interface.
Any Slippagea
A positive value indicates that a slippage condition has occurred at any location of the contact interface.
Complete Slippagea
A positive value indicates that a slippage condition has occurred at all locations on the contact interface.
Average Slippagea
A positive value indicates that a slippage condition has occurred at most of the locations on the contact interface.
Max Tangential Tractionb
Reports the maximum value of tangential traction in the contact interface.
Tangential Forcec
Reports the value of tangential force in the contact interface.
Max Penetration
Reports the maximum penetration between the surfaces of an interface.
Quality Index
Reports the quality of the mesh at an interface.
Quality Index = load calculated from normal stresses/load calculated from contact spring stiffness
The value of this measure is an indication of the adequacy of the mesh. The value ranges from 0 to 1.
0—coarse mesh
1—adequate mesh
Thermal
Bonded
Heat Transfer Rate
Calculates the rate of total heat transfer across the bonded interface.
Adiabatic
-
-
Thermal Resistance
Max Flux
Calculates the maximum flux of heat through the thermal resistance interface.
Heat Transfer Rate
Calculates the rate of total heat transfer across the thermal resistance interface.
a. Select these measure quantities if you have selected the Create Slippage Indicators check box on the Interface Definition dialog box.
b. Select this measure quantity if you have selected the Infinite Friction check box on the Interface Definition dialog box.
c. Select this measure quantity if you have selected Finite Friction as the type of friction on the Interface Definition dialog box.
The following items also appear on the Measure Definition dialog box:
Component—This item appears if you select Force in the Quantity list. Select a component for Force from the following list:
Magnitude
X
Y
Z
For the options X, Y, or Z, select a coordinate system relative to the measure. The default coordinate system is the WCS. You can use the selector arrow to select a UCS.
Interface—Use the arrow to select an interface for which you to create a new measure.
* 
If you have selected an interface measure from the second quantity list and that measure is not valid for any interface in your model, you cannot select any interface in the model. For example, if you select Max Tangential Traction in the list and your model does not contain any frictional contact interfaces, then you cannot select any interface in the model.
Component(s)/Surface(s)—This option appears if you have selected Force. Use the selector arrow to select a component / surface for the interface force measure.