An effective strategy for the multibody simulation of jointed FE models in the framework of the floating frame of reference formulation.

In multibody systems (MBS), where elastic bodies are represented in the frame work of the ‘floating frame of reference formulation’ (FFRF), structural deformation is usually computed by the superposition of time invariant trial vectors (commonly called ‘modes’). However, the mode bases, which are discussed in the literature, do not take joints into special account at the stage of mode generation. In the presented paper we propose a problem–oriented extension of classical mode bases in order to consider the presence of joints. In the novel extension which we call ‘Joint Interface Modes’ (JIMs), Newton's 3rd law across the joint is taken into account at the stage of mode generation, which leads to a superior convergence at the stage of mode based computation. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)