How to access zone joint contacts via FISH/Python

FLAC3D
,
1

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to find a way to access to zone joint contact variables either via FISH or Python (e.g., get/set properties, displacements, state, extras, etc). I haven’t found any guidance in the available documentation (I’m using FLAC3D v9). Based on some trial & error, it seems that they are related to some PFC features and functions. When plotting the zone joints in FLAC3D, it shows that they are vertex-facet contacts. I tried both FISH and Python functions to query properties using some PFC wall-face functions, but it showed that there were no properties assigned.

Thanks in advance and happy holidays!

2

You are correct - the zone joints use PFC contact logic. The plan is to create FISH functions and histories for zone joints, but for now you need to use the contact functions. An example of how your could do this in FISH is shown below

fish def test_zj
  loop foreach cp contact.list
    io.out('kn: '+string(contact.prop(cp,'stiffness-normal')))
    io.out('shear disp: '+string(contact.prop(cp,'disp-shear')))
    io.out('state: '+string(contact.prop(cp,'state-string')))
    contact.extra(cp) = 99
  end_loop
end
[test_zj]