Edge orders and force balance

Hi,

There is clearly something I have always failed to appreciate and need some education.

Consider a model where the loads are transmitted though contacts to ground.

Contacts are stiff springs that stop parts penetrating each other (too much). Their stiffness and distribution is modified for compromise penetration.

Now, when building models we often use the methods:

.... MPA with max edge order set to 1

.... Quick check where all edges are order 3.

to debug a model as the analysis run times are quicker

Checks include

Global load applied to model

Constraint reactions

Force in any ground springs used to take out minor imbalances

Reviewing warnings

The question is, is there a minimum edge order before the contacts transmit the correct total force via their stiff springs?

After all, the contact pressure distribution could be nonsense but the springs must transmit the correct forces?

Thanks