When a Contact Tool is inserted under the Connections object, it includes a default object, Initial Information. This object provides the following information from the Worksheet.
Name: Contact Region name.
Contact Side: Selected contact side, either Contact or Target.
Type: contact type, Bonded, No Separation, Frictionless, Rough, Frictional.
Status: the status of the contact, Open, Closed, Far Open.
Number Contacting: the number of contact or target elements in contact.
Penetration: the resulting penetration.
Gap: the resulting gap.
Geometric Penetration: the penetration that initially exists between the Contact and Target surfaces.
Geometric Gap: the gap that initially exists between the Contact and Target surfaces. For Frictional or Frictionless contact, this is the minimum gap. For Bonded or No Separation contact, this is the maximum closed gap detected.
Resulting Pinball: user specified or the Mechanical APDL application calculated pinball radius.
Contact Depth: average contact depth of elements.
Normal Stiffness: the calculated maximum normal stiffness value.
Tangential Stiffness: the calculated maximum tangential stiffness value.
Real Constant: the contact Real Constant number.
Possible Overconstraint: This field displays if there is a possible over constraint between multiple bonded contacts using formulation. You can set the option manually or it can be used by the option. The field displays for over-constrained contact, otherwise it displays . The field can also display if there is an inactive side of the contact or for non-bonded contact regions.
The following table outlines how to interpret the Gap and Penetration columns in the Initial Contact Information when there is a true initial geometric gap at the contact interface.
| Contact Type | Interface Treatment | Offset | Status | Penetration | Gap | Geometric Penetration | Geometric Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonded or No Separation | NA | NA | Closed | 0 | 0 | 0 | True Geometric Gap |
| Bonded or No Separation | NA | NA | Far Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, No Ramping | 0 | Far Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, Ramped Effects | 0 | Far Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, No Ramping | < True Geometric Gap | Near Open | 0 | True Geometric Gap - Offset | 0 | True Geometric Gap |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, Ramped Effects | < True Geometric Gap | Near Open | 0 | True Geometric Gap - Offset | 0 | NA |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, No Ramping | > True Geometric Gap | Closed | Offset - True Geometric Gap | 0 | 0 | True Geometric Gap |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, Ramped Effects | > True Geometric Gap | Closed | Offset - True Geometric Gap | 0 | 0 | NA |
The following table outlines how to interpret the Gap and Penetration columns in the Initial Contact Information when there is a true initial geometric penetration at the contact interface.
| Contact Type | Interface Treatment | Offset | Status | Penetration | Gap | Geometric Penetration | Geometric Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonded or No Separation | NA | NA | Closed | 0 | 0 | True Geometric Penetration | 0 |
| Bonded or No Separation | NA | NA | Far Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, No Ramping | | Offset | < Geometric Penetration | Closed | Offset + True Geometric Penetration | 0 | True Geometric Penetration | 0 |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, Ramped Effects | | Offset | < Geometric Penetration | Closed | Offset + True Geometric Penetration | 0 | True Geometric Penetration | NA |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, No Ramping | | – Offset | > Geometric Penetration | Near Open | 0 | | – Offset | - True Geometric Penetration | True Geometric Penetration | 0 |
| Frictionless, Rough, or Frictional | Add Offset, Ramped Effects | | – Offset | > Geometric Penetration | Near Open | 0 | | – Offset | - True Geometric Penetration | True Geometric Penetration | NA |