Semismooth Newton method for frictional contact between pseudo-rigid bodies

Recently developed semismooth Newton approach is adopted in the context of the frictional contact between three-dimensional pseudo-rigid bodies. The Signorini–Coulomb problem is formulated according to the formalism of the Contact Dynamics method. Hybrid linearisation, penalty scaling and line search techniques are combined as the global convergence enhancements of the Newton algorithm. Quasi-static simulations of dry masonry assemblies exemplify performance of the presented framework.