Computer Implementation of the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation for Flexible Multibody Dynamics

Deformable components in multibody systems are subject to kinematic constraints that represent mechanical joints and specified motion trajectories. These constraints can, in general, be described using a set of nonlinear algebraic equations that depend on the system generalized coordinates and time. When the kinematic constraints are augmented to the differential equations of motion of the system, it is desirable to have a formulation that leads to a minimum number of non-zero coefficients for the unknown accelerations and constraint forces in order to be able to exploit efficient sparse matrix algorithms. This paper describes procedures for the computer implementation of the absolute nodal coordinate formulation' for flexible multibody applications. In the absolute nodal coordinate formulation, no infinitesimal or finite rotations are used as nodal coordinates. The configuration of the finite element is defined using global displacement coordinates and slopes. By using this mixed set of coordinates, beam and plate elements can be treated as isoparametric elements. As a consequence, the dynamic formulation of these widely used elements using the absolute nodal coordinate formulation leads to a constant mass matrix. It is the objective of this study to develop computational procedures that exploit this feature. In one of these procedures, an optimum sparse matrix structure is obtained for the deformable bodies using the QR decomposition. Using the fact that the element mass matrix is constant, a QR decomposition of a modified constant connectivity Jacobian matrix is obtained for the deformable body. A constant velocity transformation is used to obtain an identity generalized inertia matrix associated with the second derivatives of the generalized coordinates, thereby minimizing the number of non-zero entries of the coefficient matrix that appears in the augmented Lagrangian formulation of the equations of motion of the flexible multibody systems. An alternate computational procedure based on Cholesky decomposition is also presented in this paper. This alternate procedure, which has the same computational advantages as the one based on the QR decomposition, leads to a square velocity transformation matrix. The computational procedures proposed in this investigation can be used for the treatment of large deformation problems in flexible multibody systems. They have also the advantages of the algorithms based on the floating frame of reference formulations since they allow for easy addition of general nonlinear constraint and force functions.     

A finite element beam model including cross-section distortion in the absolute nodal coordinate formulation

A new class of beam finite elements is proposed in a three-dimensional fully parameterized absolute nodal coordinate formulation, in which the distortion of the beam cross section can be characterized. The linear, second-order, third-order, and fourth-order models of beam cross section are proposed based on the Pascal triangle polynomials. It is shown that Poisson locking can be eliminated with the proposed higher-order beam models, and the warping displacement of a square beam is well described in the fourth-order beam model. The accuracy of the proposed beam elements and the influence of cross-section distortion on structure deformation and dynamics are examined through several numerical examples. We find that the proposed higher-order models can capture more accurately the structure deformation such as cross-section distortion including warping, compared to the existing beam models in the absolute nodal coordinate formulation.     

On the Use of Implicit Integration Methods and the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation in the Analysis of Elasto-Plastic Deformation Problems

In the general theory of continuum mechanics, the state of rotation and deformation of material points can be uniquely defined from the displacement field by using the nine independent components of the displacement gradients. For this reason, the use of the absolute rotation parameters as nodal coordinates, without relating them to the displacement gradients, leads to coordinate redundancy that leads to numerical and fundamental problems in many existing large rotation finite element formulations. Because of this fundamental problem, special measures that require modifications of the numerical integration methods were proposed in the literature in order to satisfy the principle of work and energy. As demonstrated in this paper, no such measures need to be taken when the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation is used since the principle of work and energy are automatically satisfied. This formulation does not suffer from the problem of coordinate redundancy and ensures the continuity of stresses and strains at the nodal points. In this study, the use of the implicit integration methods with the consistent Lagrangian elasto-plastic tangent moduli is examined when the absolute nodal coordinate formulation is used. The performance of different numerical integration methods in the dynamic analysis of large elasto-plastic deformation problems is investigated. It is shown that all these methods, in the case of convergence, yield a solution that satisfies the principle of work and energy without the need of taking any special measures. Semi-implicit integration methods, however, can lead to numerical difficulties in the case of very stiff problems due to the linearization made in these methods in order to avoid the iterative Newton--Raphson procedure. It is also demonstrated that the use of the consistent Lagrangian-plastic tangent moduli derived in this investigation using the absolute nodal coordinate formulation leads to better convergence of the iterative Newton--Raphson procedure used in the implicit integration methods.     

Integration of absolute nodal elements into multibody system

Nonlinear Dynamics - In this paper, a short summary of the formulation of absolute nodal coordinates elements, including beam, plate, and large deformation solid elements, is given and two aspects...     

两类基于局部标架梁单元的闭锁缓解方法

对于大转动、大变形柔性体的刚柔耦合动力学问题,基于李群SE(3)局部标架(local frame formulation,LFF)的建模方法能够规避刚体运动带来的几何非线性问题,离散数值模型中广义质量矩阵与切线刚度矩阵满足刚体变换的不变性,可明显地提高柔性多体系统动力学问题的计算效率.有限元方法中,闭锁问题是导致单元收...     

Use of Cholesky Coordinates and the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation in the Computer Simulation of Flexible Multibody Systems

In a previous publication, procedures that can be used with the absolute nodal coordinate formulation to solve the dynamic problems of flexible multibody systems were proposed. One of these procedures is based on the Cholesky decomposition. By utilizing the fact that the absolute nodal coordinate formulation leads to a constant mass matrix, a Cholesky decomposition is used to obtain a constant velocity transformation matrix. This velocity transformation is used to express the absolute nodal coordinates in terms of the generalized Cholesky coordinates. The inertia matrix associated with the Cholesky coordinates is the identity matrix, and therefore, an optimum sparse matrix structure can be obtained for the augmented multibody equations of motion. The implementation of a computer procedure based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation and Cholesky coordinates is discussed in this paper. Numerical examples are presented in order to demonstrate the use of Cholesky coordinates in the simulation of the large deformations in flexible multibody applications.     

Modeling Method and Application of Rational Finite Element Based on Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation

In multibody system dynamics, the absolute nodal coordinate formulation(ANCF)uses power functions as interpolating polynomials to describe the displacement field. It can get accurate results for flexible bodies that undergo large deformation and large rotation. However, the power functions are irrational representation which cannot describe the complex shapes precisely, especially for circular and conic sections. Different from the ANCF representation,the rational absolute nodal coordinate formulation(RANCF) utilizes rational basis functions to describe geometric shapes, which allows the accurate representation of complicated displacement and deformation in dynamics modeling. In this paper, the relationships between the rational surface and volume and the RANCF finite element are provided, and the generalized transformation matrices are established correspondingly. Using these transformation matrices, a new four-node three-dimensional RANCF plate element and a new eight-node three-dimensional RANCF solid element are proposed based on the RANCF. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed elements. It is shown that the proposed elements can depict the geometric characteristics and structure configurations precisely, and lead to better convergence in comparison with the ANCF finite elements for the dynamic analysis of flexible bodies.     

Three-Dimensional Large Deformation Analysis of the Multibody Pantograph/Catenary Systems

To accurately model the nonlinear behavior of the pantograph/catenary systems, it is necessary to take into consideration the effect of the large deformation of the catenary and its interaction with the nonlinear pantograph system dynamics. The large deformation of the catenary is modeled in this investigation using the three-dimensional finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation. To model the interaction between the pantograph and the catenary, a sliding joint that allows for the motion of the pan-head on the catenary cable is formulated. To this end, a non-generalized arc-length parameter is introduced in order to be able to accurately predict the location of the point of contact between the pan-head and the catenary. The resulting system of differential and algebraic equations formulated in terms of reference coordinates, finite element absolute nodal coordinates, and non-generalized arc-length and contact surface parameters are solved using computational multibody system algorithms. A detailed three-dimensional multibody railroad vehicle model is developed to demonstrate the use of the formulation presented in this paper. In this model, the interaction between the wheel and the rail is considered. For future research, a method is proposed to deal with the problem of the loss of contact between the pan-head and the catenary cable.     

Absolute nodal coordinate formulation of large-deformation piezoelectric laminated plates

The Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF) has been initiated in 1996 by Shabana (Computational Continuum Mechanics, 3rd edn., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008). It introduces large displacements of planar and spatial finite elements relative to the global reference frame without using any local frame. A sub-family of beam, plate and cable finite elements with large deformations are proposed and employed the 3D theory of continuum mechanics. In the ANCF, the nodal coordinates consist of absolute position coordinates and gradients that can be used to define a unique rotation and deformation fields within the element. In contrast to other large deformation formulations, the equations of motion contain constant mass matrices as well as zero centrifugal and Coriolis inertia forces. The only nonlinear term is a vector of elastic forces. This investigation concerns a way to generate new finite element in the ANCF for laminated composite plates. This formulation utilizes the assumption that the bonds between the laminae are thin and shear is non-deformable. Consequently, the Equivalent Single Layer, ESL model, is implemented. In the ESL models, the laminate is assumed to deform as a single layer, assuming a smooth variation of the displacement field across the thickness. In this paper, the coupled electromechanical effect of Piezoelectric Laminated Plate is imposed within the ANCF thin plate element, in such a way as to achieve the continuity of the gradients at the nodal points, and obtain a formulation that automatically satisfies the principle of work and energy. Convergence and accuracy of the finite-element ANCF Piezoelectric Laminated Plate is demonstrated in geometrically nonlinear static and dynamic test problems, as well as in linear analysis of natural frequencies. The computer implementation and several numerical examples are presented in order to demonstrate the use of the formulation developed in this paper. A comparison with the commercial finite element package COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS () is carried out with an excellent agreement.     

Performance review of locking alleviation methods for continuum ANCF beam elements

Nonlinear Dynamics - The absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) is a nonlinear finite element approach proposed for the large deformation dynamics analysis of beam- and plate/shell-type...     

On the formulation of the planar ANCF triangular finite elements

In this paper, new planar isoparametric triangular finite elements (FE) based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) are developed. The proposed ANCF elements have six coordinates per node: two position coordinates that define the absolute position vector of the node and four gradient coordinates that define vectors tangent to coordinate lines (parameters) at the same node. To shed light on the importance of the element geometry and to facilitate the development of some of the new elements presented in this paper, two different parametric definitions of the gradient vectors are used. The first parametrization, called area parameterization, is based on coordinate lines along the sides of the element in the reference configuration, while the second parameterization, called Cartesian parameterization, employs coordinate lines defined along the axes of the structure (body) coordinate system. The fundamental differences between the ANCF parameterizations used in this investigation and the parametrizations used for conventional finite elements are highlighted. The Cartesian parameterization serves as a unique standard for the triangular FE assembly. To this end, a transformation matrix that defines the relationship between the area and the Cartesian parameterizations is introduced for each element in order to allow for the use of standard FE assembly procedure and define the structure (body) inertia and elastic forces. Using Bezier geometry and a linear mapping, cubic displacement fields of the new ANCF triangular elements are systematically developed. Specifically, two new ANCF triangular finite elements are developed in this investigation, namely four-node mixed-coordinate and three-node ANCF triangles. The performance of the proposed new ANCF elements is evaluated by comparison with the conventional linear and quadratic triangular elements as well as previously developed ANCF rectangular and triangular elements. The results obtained in this investigation show that in the case of small and large deformations as well as finite rotations, all the elements considered can produce correct results, which are in a good agreement if appropriate mesh sizes are used.     

Analysis of Thin Beams and Cables Using the Absolute Nodal Co-ordinate Formulation

The purpose of this paper is to present formulations for beam elements based on the absolute nodal co-ordinate formulation that can be effectively and efficiently used in the case of thin structural applications. The numerically stiff behaviour resulting from shear terms in existing absolute nodal co-ordinate formulation beam elements that employ the continuum mechanics approach to formulate the elastic forces and the resulting locking phenomenon make these elements less attractive for slender stiff structures. In this investigation, additional shape functions are introduced for an existing spatial absolute nodal co-ordinate formulation beam element in order to obtain higher accuracy when the continuum mechanics approach is used to formulate the elastic forces. For thin structures where bending stiffness can be important in some applications, a lower order cable element is introduced and the performance of this cable element is evaluated by comparing it with existing formulations using several examples. Cables that experience low tension or catenary systems where bending stiffness has an effect on the wave propagation are examples in which the low order cable element can be used. The cable element, which does not have torsional stiffness, can be effectively used in many problems such as in the formulation of the sliding joints in applications such as the spatial pantograph/catenary systems. The numerical study presented in this paper shows that the use of existing implicit time integration methods enables the simulation of multibody systems with a moderate number of thin and stiff finite elements in reasonable CPU time.     

An Internal Damping Model for the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation

Introducing internal damping in multibody system simulations is important as real-life systems usually exhibit this type of energy dissipation mechanism. When using an inertial coordinate method such as the absolute nodal coordinate formulation, damping forces must be carefully formulated in order not to damp rigid body motion, as both this and deformation are described by the same set of absolute nodal coordinates. This paper presents an internal damping model based on linear viscoelasticity for the absolute nodal coordinate formulation. A practical procedure for estimating the parameters that govern the dissipation of energy is proposed. The absence of energy dissipation under rigid body motion is demonstrated both analytically and numerically. Geometric nonlinearity is accounted for as deformations and deformation rates are evaluated by using the Green–Lagrange strain–displacement relationship. In addition, the resulting damping forces are functions of some constant matrices that can be calculated in advance, thereby avoiding the integration over the element volume each time the damping force vector is evaluated.     

Numerical investigation of the slope discontinuities in large deformation finite element formulations

In many multibody system applications, the system components are made of structural elements that can have different orientations, leading to slope discontinuities. In this paper, a numerical investigation of a new procedure that can be used to model structures with slope discontinuities in the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) is presented. This procedure can be applied to model slope discontinuities in the case of commutative rotations of gradient deficient elements that are used for modeling thin beam and plate structures. An important special case to which the proposed procedure can be applied is the case of all planar gradient deficient ANCF finite elements. The use of the proposed method leads to a constant orthogonal element transformation that describes an arbitrary initial configuration. As a consequence, one obtains, in the case of large commutative rotations and large deformations, a constant mass matrix for structures which have complex geometry. The procedure used in this investigation to model slope discontinuities requires the use of the concept of the intermediate finite element coordinate system. For each finite element, a new set of gradient coordinates that define, at the discontinuity node, the element deformation with respect to the intermediate element coordinate system is introduced. These new gradient coordinates are assumed to be equal for the two finite elements at the point of intersection. That is, the change of the gradients of two elements at the intersection point from their respective intermediate initial reference configuration is assumed to be the same. This procedure leads to a set of linear algebraic equations that define the orthogonal transformation matrix for the finite element. Numerical examples are presented in order to demonstrate the use of the proposed procedure for modeling slope discontinuities.