Abstract: A new algorithm for contact searching and computation of contact forces in crashworthiness analysis of structures is presented. The concepts of cell and linked-list are introduced to perform the global contact searching. The total cost of the search is reduced from O(Nlog₂N) to O(N). Because the free-surface patch is used to model the contact surface, the accuracy of local contact searching increases and the dead-zone problem is resolved. In this new algorithm, the global and local searching processes are combined into one for the utilization in finite-element code. The contact force algorithm proposed in this paper is compatible with the explicit integration scheme, and the contact constraint conditions are well satisfied. Numerical results are given to demonstrate the performance of the new algorithm.