Computational Contact Mechanics

Contact mechanics is a specialist area in engineering mechanics. Itdeals with non standard mechanics which frequently appear in realtechnical applications. Examples include the simulation of carcrashes, human joints, car tyres, rubber seals and metal formingprocesses. Modern numerical simulation methods are used to modelthese objects and their behaviour. Contact problems are an area of great technical importance inindustrial applications in mechanical and civil engineering,however only very few problems involving contact can be solvedanalytically. For most industrial applications, numerical methodshave to be applied since the contacting bodies have complexgeometries, undergo large deformations (including time dependentresponses) or are affected by other factors. The range ofapplications starts with relatively simple problems such asfoundations or bearings, and includes metal forming processes,rubber sealings, drilling problems, crash analysis of cars, andeven biomechanics, where human joints, implants or teeth are underconsideration. Although other numerical and analytical schemes canalso be used, this book concentrates mainly on finite elementtechniques for the treatment of contact problems, including newapproaches such as adaptive finite element methods. * At the cutting edge of an area of significant (and growing)interest in computational mechanics * Covers the theoretical background of simulations and discussesmodern numerical simulation methods * Relates to many engineering applications A valuable reference resource for graduate and postgraduatestudents, as well as engineers involved in numerical simulation inindustry (e.g. aeronautics, car and tyre design, biomechanics,metal forming).