Abaqus/Explicit
provides two algorithms for modeling contact interactions.
The general (“automatic”) contact algorithm allows very simple
definitions of contact with very few restrictions on the types of surfaces
involved (see
About general contact in Abaqus/Explicit).
The contact pair algorithm has more restrictions on the types of surfaces
involved and often requires more careful definition of contact; however, it
allows for some interaction behaviors that currently are not available with the
general contact algorithm (see
About contact pairs in Abaqus/Explicit).
General contact interactions typically are defined by specifying self-contact
for a default, element-based surface defined automatically by
Abaqus/Explicit
that includes all bodies in the model. To refine the contact domain, you can
include or exclude specific surface pairs. Contact pair interactions are
defined by specifying each of the individual surface pairs that can interact
with each other.