A multi-scale FEM-BEM formulation for contact mechanics between rough surfaces

TL;DR

This paper introduces a multi-scale FEM-BEM formulation for contact mechanics that models rough surface interactions by combining macro-scale finite elements with micro-scale boundary elements, accommodating complex rough topologies.

Contribution

It presents a novel multi-scale approach integrating FEM and BEM for detailed contact analysis of rough surfaces, including strategies for efficient coupling.

Findings

Effective modeling of rough surface contact using FEM-BEM integration.

Ability to incorporate real and artificial rough topologies.

Discussion of numerical strategies for coupling efficiency.

Abstract

A novel multi-scale finite element formulation for contact mechanics between nominally smooth but microscopically rough surfaces is herein proposed. The approach integrates the interface finite element method (FEM) for modelling interface interactions at the macro-scale with a boundary element method (BEM) for the solution of the contact problem at the micro-scale. The BEM is used at each integration point to determine the normal contact traction and the normal contact stiffness, allowing to take into account any desirable kind of rough topology, either real, e.g. obtained from profilometric data, or artificial, evaluated with the most suitable numerical or analytical approach. Different numerical strategies to accelerate coupling between FEM and BEM are discussed in relation to a selected benchmark test.