[CIG-SHORT] Make two independent rough surfaces contact each other

[Brad Aagaard]

As Charles mentioned, a contact boundary/interface condition is not 
implemented in PyLith. There is a large body of research related to 
implementations of contact problems, mostly in the mechanical 
engineering literature. You may also be able to find information in more 
advanced finite-element texts.

Regards,
Brad


On 1/16/18 1:44 PM, Ekaterina Bolotskaya wrote:
> Dear Brad,
>
> Two contacting bodies would work for my purposes as well.
> Could you tell me how to implement that? I can't find anything in the
> manual.
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Best regards,
> Ekaterina Bolotskaya
>
> PhD student in Geophysics,
> Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Science Department,
> Massachusetts Institute of Technology
> E-mail. bolee at mit.edu
> Mob. +1 (857) 284-2805 <tel:%2B1%20%28857%29%20284-2805>
>          +7 (963) 995-36-33 <tel:%2B7%20%28963%29%20995-36-33>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* CIG-SHORT [cig-short-bounces at geodynamics.org] on behalf of Brad
> Aagaard [baagaard at usgs.gov]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 16, 2018 15:32
> *To:* cig-short at geodynamics.org
> *Subject:* Re: [CIG-SHORT] Make two independent rough surfaces contact
> each other
>
> PyLith's fault implementation assumes that the geometry of the fault
> surface is the same on the two opposing sides of the fault. To have two
> opposing sides with different geometry would generally involve a contact
> condition between two bodies, not a single internal surface that PyLith
> uses for the fault.
>
> Regards,
> Brad
>
>
>
> On Jan 16, 2018 10:26 AM, Ekaterina Bolotskaya <bolee at mit.edu> wrote:
>
>     Dear Pylith developers,
>
>     I have a 2D simulation of a rough fracture. It consists of 2
>     separate surfaces (upper and lower), one edge of which has a rough
>     profile (bottom edge of the upper surface and upper edge of the
>     lower surface). The rough edges are not initially in contact.
>     I would like to load the upper and the lower sides of the model to
>     bring the asperities in contact with each other and look at plastic
>     deformation.
>
>     When I'm trying to do it Pylith moves both parts towards each other
>     as if they are allowed to overlap (no contact, no deformation at the
>     asperities).
>     Is there a way to let it know the two surfaces are supposed to
>     contact each other.
>
>     Thanks!
>
>
>     Best regards,
>     Ekaterina Bolotskaya
>
>     PhD student in Geophysics,
>     Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Science Department,
>     Massachusetts Institute of Technology
>     E-mail. bolee at mit.edu
>     Mob. +1 (857) 284-2805 <tel:%2B1%20%28857%29%20284-2805>
>              +7 (963) 995-36-33 <tel:%2B7%20%28963%29%20995-36-33>
>
>