Home
User Guide
This manual provides details on the features, functionality, and simulation methods available in Altair Radioss.
Explicit Structural Finite Element Analysis
In this section, available explicit features for different explicit analyses are presented.
Interfaces
Several interfaces are available in Radioss, this section deals with contact interfaces only. Each interface is distinguished with a type number.
Edge-to-Edge Interface (/INTER/TYPE11)

Welcome
What's New
View new features for Radioss 2025.
Overview
Radioss^® is a leading explicit finite element solver for crash and impact simulation.
Tutorials
Discover Radioss functionality with interactive tutorials.
User Guide
This manual provides details on the features, functionality, and simulation methods available in Altair Radioss.
- Run Radioss
  The Radioss solver can be executed using different methods described here.
- Explicit Structural Finite Element Analysis
  In this section, available explicit features for different explicit analyses are presented.
  - Time Step
    An explicit is solved by calculating results in small time increments or time steps. The size of the time step depends on many factors but is automatically calculated by Radioss.
  - Finite Elements
  - Modeling Tools
  - Materials
    Different material tests could result in different material mechanic character.
  - Failure
  - Composites
    Composite materials consist of two or more materials combined each other. Most composites consist of two materials, binder (matrix) and reinforcement. Reinforcements come in three forms, particulate, discontinuous fiber, and continuous fiber.
  - Connections
  - Kinematic Constraints
    In Radioss, a kinematic condition is a nodal constraint applied to a set of nodes.
  - Interfaces
    Several interfaces are available in Radioss, this section deals with contact interfaces only. Each interface is distinguished with a type number.
    - Contact Treatment
    - Symmetric Interface (/INTER/TYPE3)
      This interface is used to simulate symmetric impacts between two surfaces.
    - Non-Symmetric Interface (/INTER/TYPE5)
      This interface is used to simulate impacts between a main surface and a list of secondary nodes.
    - Common Problems in Interfaces TYPE3 and TYPE5
    - Interface TYPE6 (/INTER/TYPE6)
      Interface TYPE6 is used to simulate contact between two rigid bodies.
    - General Purpose Interface (/INTER/TYPE7)
    - Drawbead Interface (/INTER/TYPE8)
    - Edge-to-Edge Interface (/INTER/TYPE11)
    - Quadratic Surface Contact (/INTER/LAGMUL/TYPE16 & /INTER/LAGMUL/TYPE17)
  - Loads
  - Airbag Modeling
    Airbags are modeled as monitored volumes /MONVOL in several different ways.
  - Debugging Guidelines
  - Appendix
- Implicit Structural Finite Element Analysis
- Fluid and Fluid-Structure Simulation
  In this section, fluid and fluid-structure simulation is presented.
- Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH)
  The Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics method formulation is used to solve the equations of mechanics, when particles are free from a meshing grid.
- Multi-Domain Technique
  The objective of the Multi-Domain technique (also referred to as RAD2RAD) is to optimize the computing performances of large scale Radioss models.
- Error Message Database
  This section is comprised of error messages in ascending numerical order.
- Engine Error Messages
- Warning Message Database
  This section is comprised of warning messages in ascending numerical order.
Reference Guide
This manual provides a detailed list of all the input keywords and options available in Radioss.
Example Guide
This manual presents examples solved using Radioss with regard to common problem types.
Verification Problems
This manual presents solved verification models.
Frequently Asked Questions
This section provides quick responses to typical and frequently asked questions regarding Radioss.
Theory Manual
This manual provides detailed information about the theory used in the Altair Radioss Solver.
User Subroutines
This manual describes the interface between Altair Radioss and user subroutines.

Edge-to-Edge Interface (/INTER/TYPE11)

Interface TYPE11 is used to simulate impact between lines for 1D mesh, or edges in shell and solid meshes.

In association with interface TYPE7, interface TYPE11 solves the locking cases and uses the same penalty formulation and search algorithm as interface TYPE7.

Interface TYPE 11 uses complicated mathematical algorithms; therefore, it is strongly advised to use it only when necessary. A huge interface TYPE11 can slow down the computation.