{"id":170858,"date":"2023-06-05T07:05:16","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T07:05:16","guid":{"rendered":"\/knowledge\/forums\/topic\/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-variable-contact-energy-in-autodyn\/"},"modified":"2023-07-31T12:33:54","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T12:33:54","slug":"what-is-the-meaning-of-the-variable-contact-energy-in-autodyn","status":"publish","type":"topic","link":"https:\/\/innovationspace.ansys.com\/knowledge\/forums\/topic\/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-variable-contact-energy-in-autodyn\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the meaning of the variable contact energy in Autodyn?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The contact energy is an accumulated value on a per part basis. At timestep n+1 it is defined as E_n+1 = E_n + Sum_over_part_nodes(dE), with dE = K*dx. In contact, Autodyn uses a penalty method to put the nodes back on the surface. This penalty force is proportional to the penetration depth, so in effect we have dE=K*dx where K is a sort of penalty spring which can store and release energy. That energy is accounted for in contact energy. Large contact energy therefore means we still have a lot of contact with substantial penetration depths (if it is positive) or we lost energy in contact (negative).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-170858","topic","type-topic","status-publish","hentry","topic-tag-17-2","topic-tag-autodyn","topic-tag-contact-and-coupling","topic-tag-explicit-explicit-dynamics","topic-tag-structural-mechanics","topic-tag-trajectory-contact"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t