# ContactLineSearch

This class (through a PetscContactLineSearch derivation) implements a custom line search (based on the Petsc LineSearchShell) for use with mechanical contact. The line search is not fancy. It takes two parameters, set in the MOOSE Executioner block: contact_line_search_ltol and contact_line_search_allowed_lambda_cuts. The contact_line_search_allowed_lambda_cuts parameter specifies the number of times the line search is allowed to cut lambda. If allowed to be cut, lambda will be reduced by half, and a new residual will be evaluated. If the residual is smaller with a smaller lambda, then cuts will continue until reaching contact_line_search_allowed_lambda_cuts. If the residual is larger with a smaller lambda, then the line search is curtailed and the smaller residual is used. It's recommended that contact_line_search_allowed_lambda_cuts be <= 3, with smaller values being used for smaller contact problems. This is to allow necessary residual increases when the transient problem requires significant changes in the contact state.

When the contact set is changing, the user may optionally use a looser linear tolerance set by the contact_line_search_ltol parameter. Then when the contact set is changing during the beginning of the Newton solve, unnecessary computational expense is avoided. Then when the contact set is resolved late in the Newton solve, the linear tolerance will return to the finer tolerance set through the traditional l_tol parameter.

This line search helps significantly with the phenomenon in the contact literature known as jamming or zig-zagging (Wriggers, 2006) where a Newton solve bounces back and forth between different contact sets. However, it is not a panacea. It will only partially assuage problems associated with "bad" linear solves which can arise during Jacobian-Free Newton-Krylov solves with noisy functions. Function noise can be introduced through large penalty factors and/or poor scaling of variables.

If a developer wants to implement the line-search with a solver other than Petsc they will have to create the class themself.

## References

1. Peter Wriggers. Computational Contact Mechanics. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2006.[BibTeX]