A new approach in computational contact mechanics: The contact domain method

This first part of the work presents the theoretical aspects of a new approach to solve two-dimensional large-strain problems in computational contact mechanics. The basic elements of the proposed metod are: 1) the use of an updated Lagrangean approach to describe the motion of the contacting bodies, 2) consideration of a two-dimensional aontact domain, where the contact/friction restrictions are imposed, and construction of a one layer triangulation in this domain, 3) resorting to a Lagrange multiplier method to impose the contact/friction contraints, 4) an interior penaltyprocedure, allowing condensation of the Lagrange multipliers, ensuring the stability of the discretized problem and 5) an active set strategy, for determining the subsets of the contact domain were contact/friction conditions have to be applied, based on the concept domain were contact/friction conditions have to be aaplied, based on the concept of effective gaps as suitable entities for extrapolation and prediction purposes.