An index 0 Differential-Algebraic equation formulation for multibody dynamics: Holonomic constraints

The Lagrange multiplier form of index 3 differential-algebraic equations of motion for holonomically constrained multibody systems is transformed using tangent space generalized coordinates to an index 0 form that is equivalent to an ordinary differential equation. The index 0 formulation includes embedded tolerances that assure satisfaction of position, velocity, and acceleration constraints and is solved using established explicit and implicit numerical integration methods. Numerical experiments with two spatial applications show that the formulation accurately satisfies constraints, preserves invariants due to conservation laws, and behaves as if applied to an ordinary differential equation.     

Vibrations of a continuous web on elastic supports

We consider an infinite, homogenous linearly elastic beam resting on a system of linearly elastic supports, as an idealized model for a paper web in the middle of a cylinder-based dryer section. We obtain closed-form analytical expressions for the eigenfrequencies and the eigenmodes. The frequencies increase as the support rigidity is increased. Each frequency is bounded from above by the solution with absolutely rigid supports, and from below by the solution in the limit of vanishing support rigidity. Thus in a real system, the natural frequencies will be lower than predicted by commonly used models with rigid supports.     

Micromechanical investigation of granular ratcheting using a discrete model of polygonal particles

We use a two-dimensional model of polygonal particles to investigate granular ratcheting. Ratcheting is a long-term response of granular materials under cyclic loading, where the same amount of permanent deformation is accumulated after each cycle. We report on ratcheting for low frequencies and extremely small loading amplitudes. The evolution of the sub-network of sliding contacts allows us to understand the micromechanics of ratcheting. We show that the contact network evolves almost periodically under cyclic loading as the sub-network of the sliding contacts reaches different stages of anisotropy in each cycle. Sliding contacts lead to a monotonic accumulation of permanent deformation per cycle in each particle. The distribution of these deformations appears to be correlated in form of vortices inside the granular assembly.     

Micromechanical investigation of granular ratcheting using a discrete model of polygonal particles

We use a two-dimensional model of polygonal particles to investigate granular ratcheting. Ratcheting is a long-term response of granular materials under cyclic loading, where the same amount of permanent deformation is accumulated after each cycle. We report on ratcheting for low frequencies and extremely small loading amplitudes. The evolution of the sub-network of sliding contacts allows us to understand the micromechanics of ratcheting. We show that the contact network evolves almost periodically under cyclic loading as the sub-network of the sliding contacts reaches different stages of anisotropy in each cycle. Sliding contacts lead to a monotonic accumulation of permanent deformation per cycle in each particle. The distribution of these deformations appears to be correlated in form of vortices inside the granular assembly.     

Simulation of centrifugal inertia forces on a test bed of blow-molding machines

This paper deals with the simulation of the centrifugal inertia forces on a fixed test bed that reproduces only the opening and closing motions of the half-molds of blow-molding machines. The suggested solution is realized by the addition of springs, which allows the reproduction of the moment of the inertia forces about the vertical axis of the mold. By using the approximation method based on the mean-square-value minimization, satisfactory results are obtained. The efficiency of such a solution is illustrated by numerical example.     

On the Characterization of the Dynamic Performances of Planar Manipulators

The characterization of the dynamic performances of a manipulator is important both to compare different manipulators and to improve the dynamic performances of a manipulator during the design stage. In a previous paper the concepts of swiftness and of dynamic isotropy were used to characterize some dynamic performances of 3-dof manipulators. This paper analyzes the usefulness of these concepts for three-dof planar manipulators and shows that the concept of swiftness is still significant, whereas the concept of dynamic isotropy has no practical interest. Moreover, it introduces three new dynamic properties that are useful in the design of a 3-dof planar manipulator. Finally, it proposes some indices that measure both the swiftness and the three new dynamic properties and shows how to use them, both for evaluating the dynamic performances of a given 3-dof planar manipulator and for improving the dynamic performances during its design.     

The development of the dynamics of rigid body with state variables

The dynamics of a rigid body can be investigated by using state variables instead of Euler's equations. Since the differential equations have a canonical form of the first order, the method mentioned has distinct advantages not only for qualitative analysis but also for numerical calculation. In the present paper the development of this method in China is summarized.     

A numerical method for determining nonlinear normal modes

This paper examines a new approach for determining the nonlinear normal modes of undamped non-gyroscopic multiple degree-of-freedom systems. Unlike algebraic solutions that generally assume a solution in the form of a polynomial expansion, this method makes only the assumption of repetitive motion in numerically determining the mode shapes. The advantage of this approach is that the accuracy obtained in the mode shape identification is a function only of the accuracy of the numerical integration used and not of the number of terms in the power series expansion. The drawbacks are that invariance of the modal manifolds cannot be proven and mode bifurcations can be easily overlooked.     

Screw-matrix method in dynamics of multibody systems

In the present paper the concept of screw in classical mechanics is expressed in matrix form, in order to formulate the dynamical equations of the multibody systems. The mentioned method can retain the advantages of the screw theory and avoid the shortcomings of the dual number notation. Combining the screw-matrix method with the tool of graph theory in Roberson/Wittenberg formalism. We can expand the application of the screw theory to the general case of multibody systems. For a tree system, the dynamical equations for eachj-th subsystem, composed of all the outboard bodies connected byj-th joint can be formulated without the constraint reaction forces in the joints. For a nontree system, the dynamical equations of subsystems and the kinematical consistency conditions of the joints can be derived using the loop matrix. The whole process of calculation is unified in matrix form. A three-segment manipulator is discussed as an example. This work is supported by the National Natural Science Fund.     

多刚体系统动力学的旋量-矩阵方法

本文将经典力学中的旋量概念以矩阵形式表示,用以建立多刚体系统的动力学方程。这种旋量-矩阵方法能保留旋量融矢量与矢量矩于一体的优点,却避免以往对偶数记法的缺点。结合 Roberson/wittenburg的图论工具,旋量-矩阵方法的应用范围可扩大到一般多刚体系统。对于树形系统,利用旋量通路矩阵推导各个由第i铰联结的全部外侧刚体组成的第i子系统的动力学方程,可避免出现铰的约束反力,对于非树系统,则利用回路矩阵导出各子系统动力学方程及运动学相容条件,全部计算过程统一为矩阵运算,以操作机器人作为具体算例。     

Application of Nonlinear Optimisation Methods to Input Shaping of the Hoist Drive of an Off-Shore Crane

An application of nonlinear optimisation methods to the solution of finding the optimal hoist drive moment and the optimal velocity of the hoist drum is presented. Such a choice enables the load to be lifted to a desired height when the boundary conditions are fulfilled and deformations of the hoist rope system are minimised. The planar model of the system: crane-load-ship deck is worked out and then used in the optimisation process. The modal method is applied for modelling a jib. Results of numerical calculation are included.     

Rolling Rigid Bodies and Forces of Constraint: An Application to Affine Nonholonomic Systems

In the present paper we study the motion of a disk rolling without sliding on a rotating platform, deriving the differential equations directly by D'Alembert principle.     

Numerical simulation of plate autorotation in a viscous fluid flow

A general formulation of the plane coupled dynamical and aerodynamical problem of the motion of a rigid body with a rotational degree of freedom in a viscous incompressible fluid flow is given. A computation technique for solving the Navier-Stokes equations based on the meshless viscous vortex domain method is used. The autorotation of a single plate and a pair of plates is investigated. The effect of the reduced moment of inertia and the Reynolds number on the angular rotation velocity is determined. The time dependences of the hydrodynamic loads are compared with the corresponding instantaneous flow patterns. The increased the autorotation velocity of two plates in tandem is detected.     

Jounce and Impact in Cam-Tappet Conjunction Induced by the Elastodynamics of Valve train System

The paper highlights the importance of a multi-physics integrated approach in the design evaluation of complex valve trains. The multi-disciplinarity of the problems requires simultaneous solution to inertial dynamics, structural compliance of system elements and tribological conditions in load bearing conjunctions, all of which are critical to thermodynamic functional assurance of the system as the primary objective, and system efficiency in terms of reduced mechanical and frictional losses. This paper is an extended version of: ‘PREDICTION OF CAM-TO-TAPPET CONTACT LOSS WITH VALVE TRAIN ELASTODYNAMIC ANALYSIS’, 2004 AIMETA International Tribology Conference, September 14–17, 2004, Rome, Italy.     

On the numerical solution of tracked vehicle dynamic equations

In this investigation, the solution of the nonlinear dynamic equations of the multibody tracked vehicle systems are obtained using different procedures. In the first technique, which is based on the augmented formulation that employes the absolute Cartesian coordinates and Lagrange multipliers, the generalized coordinate partitioning of the constraint Jacobian matrix is used to determine the independent coordinates and the associated independent differential equations. An iterative Newton-Raphson algorithm is used to solve the nonlinear constraint equations for the dependent variables. The numerical problems encountered when one set of independent coordinates is used during the simulation of large scale tracked vehicle systems are demonstrated and their relationship to the track dynamics is discussed. The second approach employed in this investigation is the velocity transformation technique. One of the versions of this technique is discussed in this paper and the numerical problems that arise from the use of inconsistent system of kinematic equations are reported. In the velocity transformation technique, the tracked vehicle system is assumed to consist of two kinematically decoupled subsystems; the first subsystem consists of the chassis, the rollers, the sprocket and the idler, while the second subsystem consists of the track which is represented as a closed kinematic chain that consists of rigid links connected by revolute joints. It is demonstrated that the use of one set of recursive equations leads to numerical difficulties because of the change in the track configuration. Singular configurations can be avoided by repeated changes in the recursive equations. The sensitivity of the predictor-corrector multistep numerical integration schemes to the method of formulating the state equations is demonstrated. The numerical results presented in this investigation are obtained using a planner tracked vehicle model that consists of fifty four rigid bodies.     

多体系统动力学微分／代数方程组数值方法

多体系统动力学微分／代数混合方程组又称Ｅｕｌｅｒ－ｌａｇｒａｎｇｅ方程,是近十年来动力学和计算数学领域研究的热点之一．本文介绍这两个领域中引入的传统的数值积分方法与新的理论．     

完全笛卡尔坐标描述的多体系统动力学

用完全笛卡尔坐标描述多体系统的运动学和动力学在提高计算效率方面有突出优点．导出用完全笛卡尔坐标表示的刚体及多体系统的动量和动量矩的解析式,给出与之对应的广义惯量矩阵概念,建立无力矩状态下用完全笛卡尔坐标描述的多体系统动力学的一阶微分方程组,用于多体航天器的姿态运动分析     

多体系统动力学微分／代数方程组数值方法

多体系统动力学微分／代数混合方程组又称Ｅｕｌｅｒ－ｌａｇｒａｎｇｅ方程,是近十年来动力学和计算数学领域研究的热点之一．本文介绍这两个领域中引入的传统的数值积分方法与新的理论．