Bem frictional contact analysis: Load incremental technique

A boundary element formulation for solving structural problems associated with frictional contact is presented; it uses an efficient, iterative and fully load-incremental technique. Problems with any number of two-dimensional bodies in contact can be analysed using this technique; the bodies may be conforming or non-conforming, of similar or dissimilar materials. The interface may be frictionless or frictional and undergo slip or partial slip. Numerical solutions of both normal and tangential traction distributions can be obtained automatically for successive load increments. The technique utilizes automatic updating procedures in order to model the continuously changing boundary conditions occurring inside the contact region. Results obtained show that an accurate account of the non-linear behaviour, caused by the frictional effects, can be obtained only by following the loading history as well as the contact history.