Enriched element free Galerkin method for solving frictional contact between solid bodies

Abstract

Frictional contact behavior between two contacting solid bodies has been investigated by employing the enriched element free Galerkin method (EFGM), which is a strong and efficient mesh free technique for solving different engineering problems. Enriched EFGM readily models different contact interfaces and other material irregularities independent of the nodal distribution chosen for analysis. Because of its meshless nature, the problems of conformal meshing, remeshing, mesh distribution and mesh adaption do not arise in EFGM. The present study models the interface between two contacting bodies by the level set method. Appropriate enrichment functions have been used to modify the conventional moving least square approximation at the contact surfaces. Imposition of non-penetration conditions and contact constraints have been invoked through penalty method. EFGM codes developed in the current study are validated by comparing the results with the analytical and numerical solutions available in open literature. Finally, several numerical problems are presented to demonstrate the accuracy, versatility and potential of enriched EFGM in modeling frictional contact between solid bodies with different geometries of contact interfaces.