Comparative Evaluation of Isogeometric Analysis and Classical FEM with Regard to Contact Analysis

Isogeometric analysis represents a newly developed technique that offers the application of Computer Aided Design (CAD) concept of Non-uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) tool to describe the geometry of the computational domain. The simplified transition of CAD models into the computational domain eliminates the problems arising from the geometrical discontinuities induced by the faceted approximation of the mesh. Moreover, numerical analysis directly on NURBS objects significantly reduces the design-to-analysis time compared to traditional FEA approach. In the field of contact mechanics, when finite elements are applied to geometry with curved surfaces, the result is a non-smooth geometrical representation of interface surfaces which may lead to mesh interlocking, high jumps and spurious oscillations in contact forces. To eliminate these issues, various surface smoothening strategies are to be employed in case of FEM. Isogeometric based analysis alleviates these issues without employing any additional smoothening strategy due to inherent higher order continuity of NURBS basis functions and much more accurate results are obtained compared to conventional FE approach. In the current study, LS-DYNA is used to demonstrate the capabilities and advantage of an isogeometric analysis though an example of pendulum under gravitational load. The numerical simulation results are analytically validated and the comparison of NURBS surfaces with faceted surfaces is carried out to investigate the accuracy.