Existence of a solution for a Signorini contact problem for Maxwell-Norton materials

The aim of this article is to study the quasistatic evolutionof a Maxwell–Norton three-dimensional viscoelastic solidwith contact constraints. After introducing the appropiate functionalframework, we will discretize the problem in time using an implicitscheme whose resultant variational inequality is well posed.By using monotonicity arguments together with compensated compactnesstechniques, we will prove that the corresponding discrete solutionconverges to a solution of the continuous problem.     

问题变分不等式的一类各向异性Crouzeix-Raviart型有限元逼近

本文研究了Signorini变分不等式问题的一类各向异性Crouzeix-Raviart型非协调有限元逼近。通过一些新的技巧,得到了相应的最优误差估计。     

Global existence and exponential stability for a contact problem between two thermoelastic beams

In this paper we analyze a dynamic unilateral contact problem between two thermoelastic beams. We establish the existence of a weak global-in-time solution, by a penalization method. Moreover, we study the asymptotic behavior of such a solution proving that the energy associated to the system decays exponentially to zero, as time goes to infinity.     

Numerical analysis of two frictionless elastic-piezoelectric contact problems

In this work, we consider two frictionless contact problems between an elastic-piezoelectric body and an obstacle. The linear elastic-piezoelectric constitutive law is employed to model the piezoelectric material and either the Signorini condition (if the obstacle is rigid) or the normal compliance condition (if the obstacle is deformable) are used to model the contact. The variational formulations are derived in a form of a coupled system for the displacement and electric potential fields. An existence and uniqueness result is recalled. Then, a discrete scheme is introduced based on the finite element method to approximate the spatial variable. Error estimates are derived on the approximate solutions and, as a consequence, the linear convergence of the algorithm is deduced under suitable regularity conditions. Finally, some two-dimensional examples are presented to demonstrate the performance of the algorithm.     

A convergence result in the study of bone remodeling contact problems

We consider the approximation of a bone remodeling model with the Signorini contact conditions by a contact problem with normal compliant obstacle, when the obstacle's deformability coefficient converges to zero (that is, the obstacle's stiffness tends to infinity). The variational problem is a coupled system composed of a nonlinear variational equation (in the case of normal compliance contact conditions) or a variational inequality (for the case of Signorini's contact conditions), for the mechanical displacement field, and a first-order ordinary differential equation for the bone remodeling function. A theoretical result, which states the convergence of the contact problem with normal compliance contact law to the Signorini problem, is then proved. Finally, some numerical simulations, involving examples in one and two dimensions, are reported to show this convergence behaviour.     

Iterative proximal regularization of the modified Lagrangian functional for solving the quasi-variational Signorini inequality

The iterative Uzawa method with a modified Lagrangian functional is used to numerically solve the semicoercive Signorini problem with friction (quasi-variational inequality).     

A generalized Duffing equation with the Coulomb’s friction law and Signorini–type contact conditions

This work provides mathematical and numerical analyses for a spring–mass system, in which Signorini–type contact conditions and Coulomb’s friction law with thermal effects are taken into consideration. The motion of a mass attached to a viscoelastic (Kelvin–Voigt type) nonlinear spring is described by a generalized Duffing equation. Signorini contact conditions are understood as extended complementarity conditions (CCs), where convolution is incorporated, allowing to consider thermal aspects of an obstacle. We prove the existence of global weak solutions for the highly nonlinear differential equation system with all the conditions, based on the regularized differential equation and the normal compliance condition with the standard mollifier. In addition, we investigate what side effects produce higher singularities of contact forces in dynamic contact problems, which is also supported by numerical evidences. Numerical schemes are proposed and then several groups of data are selected for the display of our numerical simulations.     

Mathematical Justification of an Obstacle Problem in the Case of a Plate

In this paper the modeling of a thin plate in unilateral contact with a rigid plane is properly justified.Starting from the three-dimensional nonlinear Signorini problem,by an asymptotic approach the convergence of the displacement field as the thickness of the plate goes to zero is studied.It is shown that the transverse mechanical displacement field decouples from the in-plane components and solves an obstacle problem.