Create Contact Elements

Use the Contacts tool to create 1D/0D contact elements.

Typically contact elements are used to define surfaces or targets between two interacting bodies.

The nodes for a contact element must share the nodes of the underlying line, surface, or solid elements.

  1. From the 1D ribbon, select the Contacts 0D or Contacts 1D tool.
    Figure 1.


  2. Define the element.
    OptionAction
    Type Select the element types that can serve as contact elements. The available types depending on selected solver interface.
    Linear 1D Create one-dimensional elements based on a projection of Elems A to Elems B.
    Elems A Select the elements where you want the elements to begin.
    Restriction: Only available when the Linear 1D check box is selected.
    Elems B Select the elements where you want the elements to end.
    Restriction: Only available when the Linear 1D check box is selected.
    Nodes Select the node(s) where you want to create a contact element.
    Density A-B Specify the number of contact elements you want created between each of the selected elements.
    Restriction: Only available when the Linear 1D check box is selected.
    Property Select a property to assign to the contact elements.
  3. Click Create.

Update Contact Elements

Use the Entity Editor to update contact elements for the desired keyword.

This includes modifying the assigned nodes, property, and so on where applicable for the solver.

Note: To change the element type, see Change Element Type.