A NOVEL FINITE ELEMENT FORMULATION FOR FRICTIONLESS CONTACT PROBLEMS
P. PAPADOPOULOS, R. E. JONES and J. SOLBERG Int. J. Num. Meth. Engr. 38, pp. 2603-2617, (1995)

Abstract
This article advocates a new methodology for the finite element solution of contact problems involving bodies that may undergo finite motions and deformations. The analysis is based on a decomposition of the two-body contact problem into two simultaneous sub-problems, and results naturally in geometrically unbiased discretization of the contacting surfaces. A proposed two-dimensional contact element is specifically designed to unconditionally allow for exact transmission of constant normal traction through interacting surfaces.