Vertex-to-face contact searching algorithm for three-dimensional frictionless contact problems

This article presents a new vertex-to-face contact searching algorithm for the three-dimensional (3-D) discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA). In this algorithm, topology is applied to the contact rule when any two polyhedrons are close to each other. Attempt is made to expand the original contact searching algorithm from two-dimensional (2-D) to 3-D DDA. Examples are provided to demonstrate the new contact rule for vertex-to-face contacts between two polyhedrons with planar boundaries.