Explicit vs. Implicit Solvers: Accuracy vs. Efficiency in Large‑Deformation Crash Simulations

Goal

Select either the explicit or implicit ANSYS Mechanical solver for a crash test with large deformations and contact events, aiming for accurate peak force prediction while keeping run time reasonable.

Constraints

Large deformations, high‑frequency contact dynamics, sensitivity to mesh refinement, and the need to avoid excessively small time steps that increase cost.

Uncertainty

Explicit solvers capture detailed contact response but demand very small time steps; implicit solvers permit larger steps but may introduce numerical damping that can attenuate contact peaks.

Questions

1. Which solver better reproduces peak contact forces in a standard 50 mm drop test?
2. What time‑step stability criteria should be applied to an implicit solver to limit numerical damping in a crash scenario?
3. Under what mesh‑refinement conditions does a hybrid explicit‑implicit partitioning become advantageous for mixed rigid‑deformable models?