solver: mortar contact in nonlinear static steps

Frictionless contact pairs enforced by an augmented Lagrangian: nodal pressures from the
mortar weighted gaps, Uzawa updates after each converged increment until the gaps are within
1e-5 of the element thickness, and the consistent tangent (outer products of the weighted
gap gradients and the pressure-weighted Hessians from the automatic differentiation of the
mortar integrals). Finite sliding searches and integrates on the current configuration every
evaluation; without nonlinear geometry the pairs and their mortar integrals are fixed in the
reference configuration (small sliding, linear and exact). The tangent's pattern takes the
face pairs' blocks; the step cuts back when the active set chatters. Initial overclosure is
offset or refused; general contact, 2D models and arc length are refused by name; the linear
analyses refuse contact by name instead of the mesh.

With contact the convergence force scale comes from the converged states, the loads and the
current state. The loads-and-reactions balance check takes the nodal reactions into its scale
(no spurious warning for a part squeezed between held faces).

Tests: the contact patch test on non-matching hex8/tet4 meshes (exact with small sliding,
to 1e-4 with finite sliding), Hertz cylinder on a flat (peak pressure within 3%, half-width
bracketed) with quadratic Newton convergence, overclosure, thread-count determinism and the
refusals; Hertz sphere on a flat (heavy).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01UhhZMBTviDQxZvwnyP89fo
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jyvikoandClaude Opus 5.5 authored and Irakli Kourtis committed 2026-10-14 14:58:32 -04:00
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@@ -88,6 +88,15 @@
//! strain at the integration points.
//! Couplings stay the linear (small-rotation) constraints of the linear solver, with a warning.
//!
//! **Contact** ([`crate::contact`]): the model's contact pairs add their mortar forces to the
//! internal forces and their consistent tangent to the stiffness, whose pattern takes the blocks
//! of the closed nodes' face pairs at every evaluation. Each converged increment is solved again
//! with updated multipliers until the gaps are tight (the augmented Lagrangian's Uzawa loop, the
//! increment's `augmentations`, each iteration tagged with its `augmentation`); an increment whose
//! active set chatters is cut back. With contact the force scale of the convergence test is that
//! of the converged states, the loads and the current state, not the largest force of every
//! trial: a trial state can press a body deep into another before the active set settles.
//!
//! Element forces and tangents are computed in parallel and added in label order, so results are
//! the same bit for bit on any number of threads.
@@ -111,8 +120,9 @@ use crate::analysis::{
};
use crate::cholesky::FactorError;
use crate::constraints::Reduction;
use crate::contact::{self, ContactResult, Interface};
use crate::ldlt::{Kind, Symmetric};
use crate::sparse::{Csr, add_block};
use crate::sparse::{Csr, NodeGraph, add_block, add_entry};
use crate::system::{Mesh, add_element_thermal_loads, loads, temperature_loads, translations};
use crate::{Error, Limits, Result};
@@ -131,6 +141,9 @@ pub struct Iteration {
/// tangent is factored by LDLᵀ, [`crate::ldlt`]).
#[serde(skip_serializing_if = "is_zero")]
pub negative_pivots: usize,
/// Contact: the augmentation it belongs to (0: the increment's first solution).
#[serde(skip_serializing_if = "is_zero")]
pub augmentation: usize,
}
fn is_zero(n: &usize) -> bool {
@@ -155,6 +168,9 @@ pub struct Increment {
/// factor it for the next predictor).
#[serde(skip_serializing_if = "is_zero")]
pub negative_pivots: usize,
/// Contact: the times the increment was solved again with updated multipliers.
#[serde(skip_serializing_if = "is_zero")]
pub augmentations: usize,
}
/// Where the tangent's inertia changes along an arc-length path.
@@ -259,8 +275,12 @@ struct Problem<'a> {
/// The step's temperature field at λ = 1, per mesh node (`None` where the field leaves a
/// node at its material's reference temperature); `None` without one.
field: Option<Vec<Option<f64>>>,
/// The tangent's pattern, zero.
/// The tangent's pattern, zero, and the mesh's node graph it comes from (contact adds the
/// blocks of its face pairs to it).
pattern: Csr,
graph: NodeGraph,
/// The contact pairs ([`crate::contact`]).
contacts: Vec<Interface>,
}
/// The internal and external forces at a state, and the tangent when asked for.
@@ -271,6 +291,8 @@ struct Evaluation {
/// Every element's material history at this state (committed when the increment
/// converges).
history: Vec<Vec<f64>>,
/// Each contact's state.
contact: Vec<contact::State>,
}
/// Why an attempt at an increment failed, when that calls for a cutback rather than an error.
@@ -291,6 +313,11 @@ impl From<Error> for Failure {
}
}
/// One hash of the contacts' active sets.
fn active_sets(e: &Evaluation) -> u64 {
e.contact.iter().fold(0u64, |h, s| h.rotate_left(17) ^ s.active_set())
}
fn norm_inf(v: &[f64]) -> f64 {
v.iter().fold(0.0, |m, x| m.max(x.abs()))
}
@@ -387,11 +414,30 @@ impl Problem<'_> {
/// The forces at displacements `u` and load factor λ, and the tangent (symmetric part of the
/// load stiffness included) when `tangent`.
fn evaluate(&self, u: &[f64], lambda: f64, tangent: bool, committed: &[Vec<f64>]) -> Result<Evaluation> {
/// `multipliers` are the contacts' augmented Lagrange multipliers per secondary node (none:
/// zero).
fn evaluate(&self, u: &[f64], lambda: f64, tangent: bool, committed: &[Vec<f64>], multipliers: &[Vec<f64>]) -> Result<Evaluation> {
let layout = &self.mesh.layout;
let n = u.len();
let mut internal = vec![0.0; n];
let mut k = tangent.then(|| self.pattern.clone());
// Contact first: its face pairs extend the tangent's pattern.
let mut blocks = contact::Blocks::new();
let mut states = Vec::with_capacity(self.contacts.len());
for (i, c) in self.contacts.iter().enumerate() {
states.push(c.evaluate(self.mesh, u, multipliers.get(i).map(Vec::as_slice).unwrap_or_default(), tangent, &mut internal, &mut blocks)?);
}
let mut k = tangent.then(|| {
if blocks.is_empty() {
self.pattern.clone()
} else {
self.graph.with_blocks(blocks.iter().map(|(nodes, _)| nodes.as_slice())).zero_matrix(layout)
}
});
if let Some(k) = k.as_mut() {
for (nodes, data) in &blocks {
add_block(k, layout, nodes, self.mesh.translation_kinds(), data)?;
}
}
let mut history = Vec::with_capacity(self.mesh.elements.len());
for round in parallel::blocks(self.mesh.elements.len(), ROUND) {
let start = round.start;
@@ -420,9 +466,18 @@ impl Problem<'_> {
for (x, v) in internal.iter_mut().zip(&ku) {
*x += v;
}
// Both are on the mesh's pattern.
// On the mesh's pattern, which contact may have extended.
if let Some(k) = k.as_mut() {
k.val.iter_mut().zip(&s.val).for_each(|(x, v)| *x += v);
if k.ptr == s.ptr && k.idx == s.idx {
k.val.iter_mut().zip(&s.val).for_each(|(x, v)| *x += v);
} else {
for r in 0..s.n {
let (cols, vals) = s.row(r);
for (c, v) in cols.iter().zip(vals).filter(|(_, v)| **v != 0.0) {
add_entry(k, r, *c, *v)?;
}
}
}
}
}
let mut external: Vec<f64> = self.dead.iter().map(|f| lambda * f).collect();
@@ -440,7 +495,7 @@ impl Problem<'_> {
if internal.iter().chain(&external).any(|v| !v.is_finite()) {
return Err(Error::NotConverged("the forces are not finite".into()));
}
Ok(Evaluation { internal, external, tangent: k, history })
Ok(Evaluation { internal, external, tangent: k, history, contact: states })
}
/// The loads at load factor 1 at displacements `u` (dead loads and follower pressures on
@@ -512,18 +567,33 @@ struct Run<'a> {
path_dependent: bool,
/// How the undeformed model's tangent factors (Cholesky), once asked.
undeformed: Option<std::result::Result<(), FactorError>>,
/// The contacts' multipliers per secondary node (the last converged increment's, or the
/// current augmentation's), and the augmentations over the step.
multipliers: Vec<Vec<f64>>,
augmentations: usize,
/// The augmentation being solved in the current increment.
augmentation: usize,
/// The largest force of the converged states (contact's force scale, [`Run::residual`]).
converged_scale: f64,
}
/// The outcome of a converged increment.
struct Converged {
q: Vec<f64>,
evaluation: Evaluation,
/// The work of the increment's first correction (the energy criterion's reference).
energy: Option<f64>,
}
impl Run<'_> {
/// The residual over the free equations, T_fᵀ (f_ext − f_int), and the force scale.
///
/// With contact a trial state can be far from equilibrium (a body pressed deep into another
/// before the active set settles, its contact forces huge), so the scale is not the largest
/// force of every trial but that of the converged states, the loads and the current state.
fn residual(&mut self, e: &Evaluation) -> Vec<f64> {
self.force_scale = self.force_scale.max(norm_inf(&e.external)).max(norm_inf(&e.internal));
let current = norm_inf(&e.external).max(norm_inf(&e.internal));
self.force_scale = if self.problem.contacts.is_empty() { self.force_scale.max(current) } else { self.converged_scale.max(current) };
free_residual(self.problem.red, e)
}
@@ -541,7 +611,7 @@ impl Run<'_> {
}
fn state(&self, q: &[f64], lambda: f64, tangent: bool) -> std::result::Result<Evaluation, Failure> {
Ok(self.problem.evaluate(&self.problem.red.expand_scaled(q, lambda), lambda, tangent, &self.committed)?)
Ok(self.problem.evaluate(&self.problem.red.expand_scaled(q, lambda), lambda, tangent, &self.committed, &self.multipliers)?)
}
/// How the tangent of the undeformed, unloaded model factors (Cholesky): a first tangent
@@ -551,7 +621,7 @@ impl Run<'_> {
if let Some(u) = &self.undeformed {
return Ok(u.clone());
}
let mut e = self.problem.evaluate(&vec![0.0; self.problem.mesh.dofs()], 0.0, true, &self.committed)?;
let mut e = self.problem.evaluate(&vec![0.0; self.problem.mesh.dofs()], 0.0, true, &self.committed, &[])?;
let k = e.tangent.take().ok_or_else(|| Failure::Fatal(Error::Internal("tangent".into())))?;
let [kff] = self.problem.red.reduce([&k])?;
let u = factor_raw(&kff, self.limits).map(|_| ());
@@ -600,7 +670,7 @@ impl Run<'_> {
/// factored (the increment then starts from `q0`).
fn tangent_predictor(&mut self, q0: &[f64], from: f64, to: f64) -> std::result::Result<Option<(Vec<f64>, f64)>, Failure> {
let red = self.problem.red;
let mut e = self.problem.evaluate(&red.expand_scaled(q0, from), to, true, &self.committed)?;
let mut e = self.problem.evaluate(&red.expand_scaled(q0, from), to, true, &self.committed, &self.multipliers)?;
let k = e.tangent.take().ok_or_else(|| Failure::Fatal(Error::Internal("tangent".into())))?;
let rf: Vec<f64> = free_residual(red, &e).iter().zip(prescribed_force(red, &k, to - from)).map(|(a, b)| a - b).collect();
let mut dq = rf.clone();
@@ -642,11 +712,15 @@ impl Run<'_> {
// predictor's when the increment started from one that is still in use.
let mut first_energy: Option<f64> = predicted_energy.filter(|_| q.as_slice() != q0);
let mut history: Vec<f64> = Vec::new();
// Contact: the active sets of the iterations, and how often they went back to the one
// before the last (chattering).
let mut sets = (None, active_sets(&eval));
let mut flips = 0usize;
let max_iterations = usize::try_from(self.settings.max_iterations).unwrap_or(usize::MAX);
for _ in 0..max_iterations {
// The round-off rule: nothing left to correct.
if norm_inf(&r) <= ROUND_OFF * tol.force * self.scale() && self.force_floor.is_some() {
return Ok(Converged { q, evaluation: eval });
return Ok(Converged { q, evaluation: eval, energy: first_energy });
}
if self.iterations >= self.limits.max_newton_iterations {
return Err(Failure::Fatal(Error::Limit(format!(
@@ -677,6 +751,16 @@ impl Run<'_> {
*x += s * d;
}
eval = next;
if !self.problem.contacts.is_empty() {
let set = active_sets(&eval);
if sets.0 == Some(set) && set != sets.1 {
flips += 1;
if flips >= contact::CHATTER_LIMIT {
return Err(Failure::Cutback("the contact status alternates between two states (chattering)".into()));
}
}
sets = (Some(sets.1), set);
}
let r_old = std::mem::replace(&mut r, self.residual(&eval));
let energy = (s * dot(&dq, &r_old)).abs();
let first = *first_energy.get_or_insert(energy);
@@ -688,6 +772,7 @@ impl Run<'_> {
energy: if first > 0.0 { energy / first } else { 0.0 },
line_search: s,
negative_pivots: factor.inertia().negative,
augmentation: self.augmentation,
};
iterations.push(it);
if !it.force.is_finite() {
@@ -695,7 +780,7 @@ impl Run<'_> {
}
let energy_met = it.energy <= tol.energy || started_converged;
if (it.force <= tol.force && it.displacement <= tol.displacement && energy_met) || it.force <= ROUND_OFF * tol.force {
return Ok(Converged { q, evaluation: eval });
return Ok(Converged { q, evaluation: eval, energy: first_energy });
}
history.push(it.force);
if let [.., a, b, c] = history[..]
@@ -708,6 +793,53 @@ impl Run<'_> {
Err(Failure::Cutback(format!("no convergence in {} iterations", self.settings.max_iterations)))
}
/// The augmented Lagrangian loop of a converged increment (Uzawa: the contacts' multipliers
/// take the converged pressures, and the increment is solved again from its solution) until
/// the gaps are within [`contact::GAP_TOLERANCE`] ([`Interface::augmentation_error`]), at
/// most [`contact::MAX_AUGMENTATIONS`] times (then with a warning). Without contact it
/// returns the increment as it is.
fn augment(
&mut self,
mut c: Converged,
q0: &[f64],
lambda: f64,
size: f64,
iterations: &mut Vec<Iteration>,
count: &mut usize,
warnings: &mut Vec<String>,
) -> std::result::Result<Converged, Failure> {
if self.problem.contacts.is_empty() {
return Ok(c);
}
loop {
let error = self
.problem
.contacts
.iter()
.zip(&self.multipliers)
.zip(&c.evaluation.contact)
.fold(0.0f64, |m, ((i, l), s)| m.max(i.augmentation_error(l, s)));
if error <= contact::GAP_TOLERANCE {
return Ok(c);
}
if *count >= contact::MAX_AUGMENTATIONS {
warnings.push(format!(
"contact: at load factor {lambda:.6} a gap is still {error:.1e} of its element's thickness after {} augmentations (the penalty's regularisation)",
contact::MAX_AUGMENTATIONS
));
return Ok(c);
}
*count += 1;
self.augmentations += 1;
self.augmentation = *count;
self.multipliers = c.evaluation.contact.iter().map(|s| s.pressure.clone()).collect();
// From the converged state, measured against the increment's start and its first
// correction like the increment itself.
let start = std::mem::take(&mut c.q);
c = self.increment(q0, Some(&start), c.energy, lambda, size, iterations)?;
}
}
/// The line search along `dq` from `q`: the accepted step and the state there (with the
/// tangent).
fn line_search(&mut self, q: &[f64], dq: &[f64], lambda: f64, g0: f64) -> std::result::Result<(f64, Evaluation), Failure> {
@@ -785,6 +917,14 @@ fn check_supported(model: &Model, mesh: &Mesh, step: &Step, settings: &Nonlinear
return Err(at(format!("centrifugal loads (load `{name}`), which depend on the deformed position")));
}
plasticity(model, step, settings, warnings)?;
if let Some(name) = model.contacts().keys().next() {
if mesh.theory.is_some() {
return Err(at(format!("contact (`{name}`) in 2D models")));
}
if settings.arc_length.is_some() {
return Err(at(format!("contact (`{name}`) with arc-length control")));
}
}
if settings.nonlinear_geometry
&& let Some(name) = model.couplings().keys().next()
{
@@ -960,6 +1100,7 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
} else {
None
};
let contacts = Interface::all(model, &resolved, &mesh, settings.nonlinear_geometry, &mut warnings)?;
let element_kinds = mesh.elements.iter().map(|e| Ok(e.kernel()?.dofs().node)).collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
let element_dofs = mesh
.elements
@@ -988,6 +1129,8 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
.collect(),
field,
pattern: graph.zero_matrix(&mesh.layout),
graph,
contacts,
};
// Elements on their linear stiffness take the thermal strain as the equivalent nodal
// forces, a dead load proportional to the load factor like the temperatures.
@@ -1008,7 +1151,7 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
.collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
// The undeformed state first: an element that is bad before anything moves is an error in
// the model, not a reason to cut increments back.
problem.evaluate(&vec![0.0; mesh.dofs()], 0.0, false, &committed)?;
problem.evaluate(&vec![0.0; mesh.dofs()], 0.0, false, &committed, &[])?;
let path_dependent = problem.materials.iter().any(MaterialModel::is_path_dependent);
let mut run = Run {
problem: &problem,
@@ -1022,6 +1165,10 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
committed,
path_dependent,
undeformed: None,
multipliers: problem.contacts.iter().map(|c| vec![0.0; c.nodes.len()]).collect(),
augmentations: 0,
augmentation: 0,
converged_scale: 0.0,
};
let mut history = History::default();
@@ -1085,10 +1232,21 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
Err(Failure::Fatal(e)) => return Err(e),
}
}
match run.increment(&q, predictor.as_deref(), predicted_energy, target_lambda, change.abs(), &mut iterations) {
let multipliers = run.multipliers.clone();
let mut augmentations = 0;
run.augmentation = 0;
let solved = run
.increment(&q, predictor.as_deref(), predicted_energy, target_lambda, change.abs(), &mut iterations)
.and_then(|c| run.augment(c, &q, target_lambda, change.abs(), &mut iterations, &mut augmentations, &mut warnings));
if solved.is_err() {
run.multipliers = multipliers;
}
match solved {
Ok(c) => {
previous = Some((c.q.iter().zip(&q).map(|(a, b)| a - b).collect(), change));
let count = iterations.len();
// The increment's own Newton iterations size the next one (augmentations
// solve the same increment again).
let count = iterations.iter().filter(|i| i.augmentation == 0).count();
history.increments.push(Increment {
number,
load_factor: target_lambda,
@@ -1097,11 +1255,13 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
converged: true,
cutback: None,
negative_pivots: 0,
augmentations,
});
(t, lambda) = (target, target_lambda);
q = c.q;
keep_frame(&mut history, lambda, &red.expand_scaled(&q, lambda), &mut warnings);
run.committed.clone_from(&c.evaluation.history);
run.converged_scale = run.converged_scale.max(norm_inf(&c.evaluation.external)).max(norm_inf(&c.evaluation.internal));
last = Some(c.evaluation);
fast = if count <= FAST_ITERATIONS { fast + 1 } else { 0 };
if fast >= 2 {
@@ -1121,6 +1281,7 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
converged: false,
cutback: Some(reason.clone()),
negative_pivots: 0,
augmentations: 0,
});
fast = 0;
size = this * CUTBACK;
@@ -1139,7 +1300,7 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
let u = red.expand_scaled(&q, lambda);
let evaluation = match last {
Some(e) => e,
None => problem.evaluate(&u, lambda, false, &run.committed)?,
None => problem.evaluate(&u, lambda, false, &run.committed, &run.multipliers)?,
};
if let Some((at, negative)) = history
.increments
@@ -1160,7 +1321,8 @@ fn solve_on(model: &Model, step: &str, limits: &Limits, notes: Vec<String>) -> R
"follower pressure: the skew part of its load stiffness ({a:.1e} of it, over the free degrees of freedom) is left out of the tangent; the solution is exact, Newton may converge more slowly"
));
}
finish(&mesh, step, &red, &problem, u, lambda, evaluation, &run.committed, history, run.factor_entries, warnings)
let contacts = problem.contacts.iter().zip(&evaluation.contact).map(|(c, s)| c.result(&mesh, s, run.augmentations)).collect();
finish(&mesh, step, &red, &problem, u, lambda, evaluation, &run.committed, history, run.factor_entries, contacts, warnings)
}
/// The final state as a static result: displacements, reactions, Cauchy stresses and
@@ -1177,6 +1339,7 @@ fn finish(
committed: &[Vec<f64>],
history: History,
factor_entries: usize,
contacts: Vec<ContactResult>,
mut warnings: Vec<String>,
) -> Result<StaticResult> {
let (displacement, rotation, point_motion) = split(&u, mesh);
@@ -1248,7 +1411,7 @@ fn finish(
}
let stress: Vec<[f64; 6]> = sum.iter().zip(&count).map(|(s, c)| s.map(|v| if *c > 0 { v / f64::from(*c) } else { 0.0 })).collect();
let von_mises = stress.iter().map(von_mises).collect();
let scale = applied_total.iter().chain(&reaction_total).fold(0.0f64, |m, v| m.max(v.abs()));
let scale = crate::system::balance_scale(&applied_total, &reaction_total, &reaction);
let ground = mesh.discrete.ground_force(&u, mesh);
let imbalance = (0..3).map(|c| (applied_total[c] + reaction_total[c] + ground[c]).abs()).fold(0.0, f64::max);
if scale > 0.0 && imbalance > 1e-6 * scale {
@@ -1273,6 +1436,7 @@ fn finish(
warnings,
temperature: None,
nonlinear: Some(history),
contacts,
})
}
@@ -1403,6 +1567,7 @@ impl Run<'_> {
energy: if first > 0.0 { energy / first } else { 0.0 },
line_search: 1.0,
negative_pivots: factor.inertia().negative,
augmentation: 0,
});
}
Err(Failure::Cutback(format!("no convergence in {} iterations", self.settings.max_iterations)))
@@ -1491,6 +1656,7 @@ fn arc_length(
converged: true,
cutback: None,
negative_pivots: negative,
augmentations: 0,
});
states.push((number, lambda, negative));
last = Some(evaluation);
@@ -1516,6 +1682,7 @@ fn arc_length(
converged: false,
cutback: Some(reason.clone()),
negative_pivots: 0,
augmentations: 0,
});
fast = 0;
size *= CUTBACK;