Joint elements in ABAQUS to model discontinuity in rock

"The element should model a separation in tension and a slipping governing by Coulomb friction."

I think surface contact can be sufficient for your requirements here. You can check the manual for more options for defining contact properties.

It seems that there are different naming for thus elements!

In rock mechanics, it is joint element; In geomechanics, it is interface or slip element;

In Abaqus, they may not ptovide thus specific element types, instead the contact surface may be used for many purposes.

"The implication of tensile or shear failure may be studied in more detail introducing interface

elements (discrete crack analysis) at critical places. However, all interface contact elements was

removed in ABAQUS version 6.1. Instead one should use the *CONTACT PAIR option with

SMALL SLIDING parameter to model infinitesimal sliding and pore fluid interaction between

deformable bodies. Unfortunately this new option do not account for tangential gap flow, which is

essential for examining possible hydraulic communication between two isolated reservoir

segments. From our standpoint it seems that reintroducing the interface elements again in

ABAQUS is a good idea."

For more details, see one of the references,

http://www.simulia.com/download/solutions/ppp_cust_references/ppp_oil_r…;