Contact problems using Overhauser splines

A contact detection algorithm using Overhauser spline is presented, solving contact problems with finite element method. Contact areas defined by object boundaries can be approximated in different ways. They can be modeled using straight lines between nodes, finite element shape functions or interpolation functions over boundary nodes respectively. As the line description gives a poor approximation of the boundary, shape Functions are widely used to describe the analysed geometry. CO interelement continuity of the geometry description is provided by the isoparametric elements. As the 'smooth' and accurate geometry description is crucial to contact stress analysis, decoupling of the geometry front the polynomial shape Functions and implementation of the Overhauser splines is suggested in the present work. Single parametric curve is used to model the contacting surface offering the C-1 continous description of the boundary enabling exact boundary condition imposition. On the other hand geometry description using splines provides the data required for actual contact area determination and exact contact size calculation. In presented contact algorithm redundant boundary definition is introduced to eliminate the problem of poor interelement continuity of shape functions. Implementation of suggested approach as it is used in developed finite element code is presented. Benefits and drawbacks of proposed approach Lire discussed. The developed code is then used for solving contact problems in gears.