How to use the Spatial Search Algorithm

Using the Spatial Search Algorithm

Large-scale in Finite Element Methods, Discrete Element Method and Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method simulations involve contact of a large number of separate bodies. Processing contact interaction for all possible contacts would involve a total number of operations proportional to N^2, where N is the total number of separates bodies comprising the problem.

This would be very CPU intensive, and would limit the application that use and need to evaluate the contact forces ,comprising a very small number (a few thousand) of separates bodies. To reduce CPU requirements of processing contact interaction, it is necessary to eliminate couples of discrete elements that are far from each other and are not in contact. A set of combined finite-discrete element procedures designed to detect discrete or finite elements that are close to each other is usually called a contact detection algorithm, or sometimes a contact search algorithm.