An improved point-to-surface contact algorithm with penalty method for peridynamics

It is significantly challenging to obtain accurate contact forces in peridynamics (PD) simulations due to the difficulty of surface particles identification, particularly for complex geometries. Here, an improved point-to-surface contact model is proposed for PD with high accuracy. First, the outer surface is identified using the eigenvalue method and then we construct a Verlet list to identify potential contact particle pairs efficiently. Subsequently, a point-to-surface contact search algorithm is utilized to determine precise contact locations with the penalty function method calculating the contact force. Finally, the accuracy of this point-to-surface contact model is validated through several representative contact examples. The results demonstrate that the point-to-surface contact model model can predict contact forces and deformations with high accuracy, aligning well with the classical Hertz contact theory solutions. This work presents a contact model for PD that automatically recognizes external surface particles and accurately calculates the contact force, which provides guidance for the study of multi-body contact as well as complex contact situations.