An enriched finite element algorithm for numerical computation of contact friction problems

In this paper, the extended finite element method (XFEM) is employed to model the presence of discontinuities caused by frictional contact. The method is used in modeling strong discontinuity within a standard finite element framework. In extended finite element method (XFEM) technique, the special functions are included in standard FEM to simulate discontinuity without considering the boundary conditions in meshing the domain. In this study, the classical finite element approximation is enriched by applying additional terms to simulate the frictional behavior of contact between two bodies. These terms, which are included for enrichment of nodal displacements, depend on the contact condition between two surfaces. The partition of unity method is applied to discretize the contact area with triangular sub-elements whose Gauss points are used for integration of the domain of elements. Finally, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the XFEM in modeling of frictional contact behavior.