Sliding Wedge
Application ID: 364
A contactor wedge is subject to a gravity load and is forced to slide due to a boundary load over a rigid target wedge surface, both infinitely wide. Horizontal linear springs are also connected between the left vertical boundary and the ground.
This is a large sliding problem including contact pressure for a constant contact area and friction force calculations. A penalty/barrier method is used to solve the contact problem and a Coulomb friction model is used to calculate the friction forces. This is a NAFEM benchmark model described in the NAFEM publication NAFEMS Benchmark Tests for Finite Element Modeling of Contact, Gapping and Sliding.
This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products:
however, additional products may be required to completely define and model it. Furthermore, this example may also be defined and modeled using components from the following product combinations:
- COMSOL Multiphysics® and
- either the MEMS Module, Multibody Dynamics Module, or Structural Mechanics Module
The combination of COMSOL® products required to model your application depends on several factors and may include boundary conditions, material properties, physics interfaces, and part libraries. Particular functionality may be common to several products. To determine the right combination of products for your modeling needs, review the Specification Chart and make use of a free evaluation license. The COMSOL Sales and Support teams are available for answering any questions you may have regarding this.