A finite element method for contact/impact

Ideas from the analysis of differential-algebraic equations are applied to the numerical solution of frictionless contact/impact problems in solid mechanics. Index-one and two formulations for dynamic contact–impact within the context of the finite element method are derived. The resulting equations are shown to stabilize the kinematic fields at the contact interface, at the expense of a small energy loss, which is shown to decrease consistently with mesh refinement. This energy dissipation is shown to be necessary for the establishment of persistent contact. A Newmark-type time integration scheme is derived from the proposed formulation, and shown to yield excellent results in modeling the transition to contact/impact.