Nonlinear dynamics of a cable–pulley system using the absolute nodal coordinate formulation

It is reasonable to develop models and to investigate the dynamic behaviour of systems composed of cables since cable vibration can have an important effect on the motion of these mechanical systems. This paper deals with the application of the nonlinear formulation for flexible body dynamics called the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). It is used for modelling the systems composed of cables, pulleys, other rigid bodies and a motor with prescribed motion. The ANCF was chosen as a suitable approach, which that can allow to consider a detailed interaction of the cable and the pulley with its nonlinear dynamical behaviour. The ANCF uses absolute positions of nodes (reference vectors) and slopes (reference vector derivations) as a set of nodal coordinates. An in-house modelling tool in the MATLAB system was created based on the proposed modelling methodology and two case studies were performed. A simple system containing a pulley and a cable with two attached bodies was used in order to test the simulation tool based on the proposed modelling methodology with respect to different parameters. A more complex mechanical system composed of a driven weight joined with a motor by a cable led over a pulley was numerically and also experimentally investigated. The comparison of obtained numerical and experimental results shows sufficient agreement and proves that the proposed modelling approach can be used for dynamic analyses of such systems.     

The Minimal Thickness of a Semicircular Arch with a Tension-Free Crown∗

ABSTRACT

When a semicircular elastic arch is loaded with a single point force at the vertex, the stress at interior points depends on the thickness of the arch and on the way the abutments react. Applying the theory of plane elasticity, three typical load-bearing abutment constraints are evaluated to find the minimal thickness at which no tensile stress occurs at a given interior point. Such thickness is found to be quite large.     

Nonlinear formulation for flexible multibody system with large deformation

In this paper, nonlinear modeling for flexible multibody system with large deformation is investigated. Absolute nodal coordinates are employed to describe the displacement, and variational motion equations of a flexible body are derived on the basis of the geometric nonlinear theory, in which both the shear strain and the transverse normal strain are taken into account. By separating the inner and the boundary nodal coordinates, the motion equations of a flexible multibody system are assembled. The advantage of such formulation is that the constraint equations and the forward recursive equations become linear because the absolute nodal coordinates are used. A spatial double pendulum connected to the ground with a spherical joint is simulated to investigate the dynamic performance of flexible beams with large deformation. Finally, the resultant constant total energy validates the present formulation. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10472066, 10372057). The English text was polished by Yunming Chen.     

Nonlinear dynamics of three-dimensional belt drives using the finite-element method

In this paper, new nonlinear dynamic formulations for belt drives based on the three-dimensional absolute nodal coordinate formulation are developed. Two large deformation three-dimensional finite elements are used to develop two different belt-drive models that have different numbers of degrees of freedom and different modes of deformation. Both three-dimensional finite elements are based on a nonlinear elasticity theory that accounts for geometric nonlinearities due to large deformation and rotations. The first element is a thin-plate element that is based on the Kirchhoff plate assumptions and captures both membrane and bending stiffness effects. The other three-dimensional element used in this investigation is a cable element obtained from a more general three-dimensional beam element by eliminating degrees of freedom which are not significant in some cable and belt applications. Both finite elements used in this investigation allow for systematic inclusion or exclusion of the bending stiffness, thereby enabling systematic examination of the effect of bending on the nonlinear dynamics of belt drives. The finite-element formulations developed in this paper are implemented in a general purpose three-dimensional flexible multibody algorithm that allows for developing more detailed models of mechanical systems that include belt drives subject to general loading conditions, nonlinear algebraic constraints, and arbitrary large displacements. The use of the formulations developed in this investigation is demonstrated using two-roller belt-drive system. The results obtained using the two finite-element formulations are compared and the convergence of the two finite-element solutions is examined.     

Contact dynamics of elasto-plastic thin beams simulated via absolute nodal coordinate formulation

Under the frame of multibody dynamics, the contact dynamics of elasto-plastic spatial thin beams is numerically studied by using the spatial thin beam elements of absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). The inter-nal force of the elasto-plastic spatial thin beam element is derived under the assumption that the plastic strain of the beam element depends only on its longitudinal deformation. A new body-fixed local coordinate system is introduced into the spatial thin beam element of ANCF for efficient con-tact detection in the contact dynamics simulation. The linear isotropic hardening constitutive law is used to describe the elasto-plastic deformation of beam material, and the classical return mapping algorithm is adopted to evaluate the plastic strains. A multi-zone contact approach of thin beams previ-ously proposed by the authors is also introduced to detect the multiple contact zones of beams accurately, and the penalty method is used to compute the normal contact force of thin beams in contact. Four numerical examples are given to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the pro-posed elasto-plastic spatial thin beam element of ANCF for flexible multibody system dynamics.     

弹性杆-刚性体系统动力学分析的广义逆矩阵方法

将多刚体系统的广义逆矩阵方法推广到含弹性杆与刚性体的混合系统的动力学分析中,建立了以节点坐标表示的基于全局惯性坐标系的刚体-柔性体混合系统动力学方程.首先以两端节点坐标为变量推导了弹性杆的动力学方程,以刚性体节点坐标为变量推导了刚性体节点速度约束方程和刚性体动力学方程,最后得到弹性杆与刚性体混合系统的动力学方程和速度约束方程.本方法在同一个惯性坐标系对刚柔多体系统进行描述,具有方法简洁、便于计算建模的特点.论文最后给出两个数值算例,检验了方法的有效性.     

Utilization of nonlinear vibrations of soft pipe conveying fluid for driving underwater bio-inspired robot

Creatures with longer bodies in nature like snakes and eels moving in water commonly generate a large swaying of their bodies or tails, with the purpose of producing significant frictions and collisions between body and fluid to provide the power of consecutive forward force. This swaying can be idealized by considering oscillations of a soft beam immersed in water when waves of vibration travel down at a constant speed. The present study employs a kind of large deformations induced by nonlinear vibrations of a soft pipe conveying fluid to design an underwater bio-inspired snake robot that consists of a rigid head and a soft tail. When the head is fixed, experiments show that a second mode vibration of the tail in water occurs as the internal flow velocity is beyond a critical value. Then the corresponding theoretical model based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) is established to describe nonlinear vibrations of the tail. As the head is free, the theoretical modeling is combined with the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to construct a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation model. The swimming speed and swaying shape of the snake robot are obtained through the FSI simulation model. They are in good agreement with experimental results. Most importantly, it is demonstrated that the propulsion speed can be improved by 21% for the robot with vibrations of the tail compared with that without oscillations in the pure jet mode. This research provides a new thought to design driving devices by using nonlinear flow-induced vibrations.

     

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.     

Implicit and explicit integration in the solution of the absolute nodal coordinate differential/algebraic equations

This investigation is concerned with the use of an implicit integration method with adjustable numerical damping properties in the simulation of flexible multibody systems. The flexible bodies in the system are modeled using the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF), which can be used in the simulation of large deformations and rotations of flexible bodies. This formulation, when used with the general continuum mechanics theory, leads to displacement modes, such as Poisson modes, that couple the cross section deformations, and bending and extension of structural elements such as beams. While these modes can be significant in the case of large deformations, and they have no significant effect on the CPU time for very flexible bodies; in the case of thin and stiff structures, the ANCF coupled deformation modes can be associated with very high frequencies that can be a source of numerical problems when explicit integration methods are used. The implicit integration method used in this investigation is the Hilber–Hughes–Taylor method applied in the context of Index 3 differential-algebraic equations (HHT-I3). The results obtained using this integration method are compared with the results obtained using an explicit Adams-predictor-corrector method, which has no adjustable numerical damping. Numerical examples that include bodies with different degrees of flexibility are solved in order to examine the performance of the HHT-I3 implicit integration method when the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation is used. The results obtained in this study show that for very flexible structures there is no significant difference in accuracy and CPU time between the solutions obtained using the implicit and explicit integrators. As the stiffness increases, the effect of some ANCF coupled deformation modes becomes more significant, leading to a stiff system of equations. The resulting high frequencies are filtered out when the HHT-I3 integrator is used due to its numerical damping properties. The results of this study also show that the CPU time associated with the HHT-I3 integrator does not change significantly when the stiffness of the bodies increases, while in the case of the explicit Adams method the CPU time increases exponentially. The fundamental differences between the solution procedures used with the implicit and explicit integrations are also discussed in this paper.     

Development of flexible telescopic boom model using absolute nodal coordinate formulation sliding joint constraints with LuGre friction

In this investigation, a modeling procedure of a telescopic boom of cranes is developed using the absolute nodal coordinate formulation together with the sliding joint constraints. Since telescopic booms are extracted and retracted under various operating conditions, the overall length of the boom changes dynamically, leading to the time-variant vibration characteristics. For modeling the telescopic structure of booms, a special care needs to be exercised since the location of the sliding contact point moves along the deformable axis of the flexible boom and the solution to a moving boundary problem is required. This issue indeed makes the modeling of the telescopic boom difficult, despite the significant needs for the analysis. It is, therefore, the objective of this investigation to develop a modeling procedure for the flexible telescopic boom by considering the sliding contact condition with the dynamic frictional effect. To this end, the sliding joint constraint developed for the absolute nodal coordinate formulation is employed for describing relative sliding motion between flexible booms, while flexible booms are modeled using the beam element of the absolute nodal coordinate formulation, which allows for modeling the large rotation and deformation of the structure.     

A comparison of novel chassis suspended machines for sustainable forestry

Cut-to-length logging (CTL) is a mechanized harvesting process where trees are delimbed and cut to length directly at the stump. The main challenges for the manufacturers of forestry machines for CTL logging are to address new customer demands and tougher health and environmental legislations by finding means that: (1) further increase the harvesting and log transportation productivity, e.g. by enabling operation on eco-soils, (2) reduce the damage to the soil, e.g. by controlling the ruts depth and preserving the root layer, (3) reduce exhaust emissions, e.g. by reducing the rolling resistance, and (4) reducing the daily vibration dosage for the machine operators, e.g. by active chassis and cabin damping.This paper presents of a number of passive forwarder chassis suspension concepts and compares their performance from three perspectives: their gentleness to terrain and operator, as well as their potential for improved fuel efficiency. Based on multi-body dynamics simulations, it is shown that a passive pendulum arm suspension can reduce the lateral accelerations in a passively suspended cabin with 50% compared to traditional bogie machines when travelling in rough hard terrain.     

A velocity transformation method for the nonlinear dynamic simulation of railroad vehicle systems

The solution of the constrained multibody system equations of motion using the generalized coordinate partitioning method requires the identification of the dependent and independent coordinates. Using this approach, only the independent accelerations are integrated forward in time in order to determine the independent coordinates and velocities. Dependent coordinates are determined by solving the nonlinear constraint equations at the position level. If the constraint equations are highly nonlinear, numerical difficulties can be encountered or more Newton–Raphson iterations may be required in order to achieve convergence for the dependent variables. In this paper, a velocity transformation method is proposed for railroad vehicle systems in order to deal with the nonlinearity of the constraint equations when the vehicles negotiate curved tracks. In this formulation, two different sets of coordinates are simultaneously used. The first set is the absolute Cartesian coordinates which are widely used in general multibody system computer formulations. These coordinates lead to a simple form of the equations of motion which has a sparse matrix structure. The second set is the trajectory coordinates which are widely used in specialized railroad vehicle system formulations. The trajectory coordinates can be used to obtain simple formulations of the specified motion trajectory constraint equations in the case of railroad vehicle systems. While the equations of motion are formulated in terms of the absolute Cartesian coordinates, the trajectory accelerations are the ones which are integrated forward in time. The problems associated with the higher degree of differentiability required when the trajectory coordinates are used are discussed. Numerical examples are presented in order to examine the performance of the hybrid coordinate formulation proposed in this paper in the analysis of multibody railroad vehicle systems.     

Application of joint coordinates and homogeneous transformations to modeling of vehicle dynamics

The paper presents a method of modeling dynamics of multibody systems with open and closed kinematic chains. The joint coordinates and homogeneous transformations are applied in order to formulate the equations of motion of a rigid body. In this method, constraint equations are introduced only in the case when closed subchains are considered or when the joint reactions have to be calculated. This allows the number of generalized coordinates in the system to be reduced in comparison to the case when absolute coordinates are applied. It is shown how the method can be applied to modeling of vehicle dynamics. The calculation results are compared with those obtained when the ADAMS/Car package is used. Experimental verification has been performed and is reported in the paper, as well. In both cases, a good correspondence of results has been achieved. Final remarks concerning advantages and disadvantages of the method are formulated at the end of the paper.     

On the use of linear graph theory in multibody system dynamics

Multibody dynamics involves the generation and solution of the equations of motion for a system of connected material bodies. The subject of this paper is the use of graph-theoretical methods to represent multibody system topologies and to formulate the desired set of motion equations; a discussion of the methods available for solving these differential-algebraic equations is beyond the scope of this work. After a brief introduction to the topic, a review of linear graphs and their associated topological arrays is presented, followed in turn by the use of these matrices in generating various graph-theoretic equations. The appearance of linear graph theory in a number of existing multibody formulations is then discussed, distinguishing between approaches that use absolute (Cartesian) coordinates and those that employ relative (joint) coordinates. These formulations are then contrasted with formal graph-theoretic approaches, in which both the kinematic and dynamic equations are automatically generated from a single linear graph representation of the system. The paper concludes with a summary of results and suggestions for further research on the graph-theoretical modelling of mechanical systems.     

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.     

Studies of dynamics of a lightweight wheeled mobile robot during longitudinal motion on soft ground

The paper is concerned with the study of longitudinal motion of a lightweight wheeled mobile robot on soft ground. The study is focused on the influence of the desired longitudinal velocity of a robot on both the longitudinal slip of the wheels and the ratio of wheel-terrain contact angles. Design of the four-wheeled skid-steered robot and research environment are described. Experimental investigations were conducted on a dedicated test stand with dry sand. A dynamics model of the robot-ground system taking into account properties of soft ground is presented. The classical terramechanics models of Bekker and Janosi-Hanamoto are used. Results of simulation research of robot motion and of the analogous experimental investigations are presented. Actual motion parameters of the robot and the values of longitudinal slip ratio of the wheels are determined. The results of simulation and experimental investigations are compared and discussed. A formula to describe front-to-back wheel-terrain contact angle ratio dependency on the desired velocity is proposed.     

Computational fluid dynamics simulation of hydrodynamics in the riser of an external loop airlift reactor

Local hydrodynamics in the riser of an external loop airlift reactor (EL-ALR) are identified and the performances of three drag models are evaluated in computational fluid dynamics simulation. The simulation results show that the Schiller–Naumann drag model underestimated the local gas holdup at lower superficial gas velocity whereas the Tomiyama drag model overestimated that at higher superficial gas velocity. By contrast, the dual-bubble-size (DBS)-local drag model gave more reasonable radial and axial distributions of gas holdup in all cases. The reason is that the DBS-local drag model gave correct values of the lumped parameter, i.e., the ratio of the drag coefficient to bubble diameter, for varying operating conditions and radial positions. This ratio is reasonably expected to decrease with increasing superficial gas velocity and be smaller in the center and larger near the wall. Only the DBS-local drag model correctly reproduced these trends. The radial profiles of the axial velocity of the liquid and gas predicted by the DBS-local model also agreed well with experimental data.     

大型网架式可展开空间结构的非线性动力学与控制

我国航天工业迫切需要掌握可入轨后展开的大型网架式空间结构技术,以便研制口径十几米、乃至数十米的大型星载天线。该技术的主要科学基础是这类空间结构展开和服役过程的非线性动力学建模、分析和控制。本文综述了与上述科学基础相关的研究进展,提出应重点关注的三个科学问题：一是大型网架式空间结构展开过程的多柔体系统动力学,尤其是如何对微重力环境下索网的接触和缠绕、运动副内碰撞、结构展开与航天器本体间的耦合等导致的非线性动力学进行建模和分析;二是大型网架式空间结构展开锁定后服役的动力学分析,尤其是如何揭示结构柔性、众多运动副间隙、交变热载荷等因素引起的复杂非线性振动机理;三是大型网架式空间结构展开锁定后服役的动力学控制,尤其是如何在欠驱动、低能耗条件下对非线性振动和波动传播提出有效的控制方法。