Contact Analysis of Nonlinear Shell Structures Using a Mathematical Programming Method

Abstract

In the present study a shell contact problem with geometric and material nonlinearities is efficiently formulated by utilizing the mathematical programming method. The contact surface is assumed unbonded and frictionless. An incremental analysis by the updated Lagrangian approach is used. Two representative problems are treated to show modeling of the shell contact and the proposed solution method. The results are compared with existing solutions and those calculated by a commerical package.