Dynamic Analysis of Spatial Linkages: A Recursive Approach

In the present study, the equations of motion for planar mechanical systems that consist of interconnected rigid bodies with common types of kinematic joint are derived on the basis of particle dynamics and a recursive approach. The system of rigid bodies is replaced by a dynamically equivalent constrained system of particles. Then, for the resulting equivalent system of particles, the concepts of linear and angular momenta are used to generate the equations of motion without either introducing any rotational coordinates or distributing the external forces and force couples over the particles. For an open-loop system, the equations of motion are generated recursively along the open chains. For a closed-loop system, the system is transformed to open chains by cutting suitable kinematic joints with the addition of cut-joint kinematic constraints. Examples of multibranch closed-loop systems are chosen to demonstrate the generality and simplicity of the proposed method.

This paper presents a matrix formulation for the dynamic analysis of spatial mechanisms with common types of kinematic joints. The formulation is derived in two steps. Initially an equivalent constrained system of particles that replaces the rigid bodies is constructed and used to define the configuration of the mechanical system. This results in a simple and straightforward procedure for generating the equations of motion in terms of the rectangular Cartesian coordinates of the particles without introducing any rotational coordinates. The equations of motion are then derived in terms of relative joint coordinates through the use of a velocity transformation matrix. The velocity transformation matrix relates the relative joint velocities to the Cartesian velocities. For the open loop case, this process automatically eliminates all of the non-working constraint forces and leads to an efficient integration of the equations of motion. For the closed loop case, suitable joints should be cut and few cut-joints constraint equations should be included for each closed loop. An example is used to demonstrate the generality and efficiency of the proposed method.

In this paper the dynamic analysis of the Macpherson strut motor-vehicle suspension system is presented. The equations of motion are formulated using a two-step transformation. Initially, the equations of motion are derived for a dynamically equivalent constrained system of particles that replaces the rigid bodies by applying Newton’s second law. The equations of motion are then transformed to a reduced set in terms of the relative joint variables. Use of both Cartesian and joint variables produces an efficient set of equations without loss of generality. For open chains, this process automatically eliminates all of the non-working constraint forces and leads to an efficient solution and integration of the equations of motion. For closed loops, suitable joints should be cut and few cut-joints constraint equations should be included for each closed chain. The chosen suspension includes open and closed loops with quarter-car model. The results of the simulation indicate the simplicity and generality of the dynamic formulation.

A method for dynamic analysis of large-scale constrained system of mixed rigid and flexible bodies with intermittent motion is presented. The system equations of motion are written in the Lagrangian formulation using a finite set of coupled reference position and local elastic generalized coordinates. Equations of motion are computer generated and integrated forward in time using an explicit-implicit integration algorithm. Points in time at which sudden events of the intermittent behavior occur are monitored by an event predictor which controls the integration algorithm and forces a solution for the system impulse-momentum relation at those points. Solutions of impulse-momentum relations define the jump discontinuities in the composite velocity vector as well as the generalized impulses of the reaction forces at different joints of the mechanical system.

This paper presents a two-step formulation for the dynamic analysis of generalised planar linkages. First, a rigid body is replaced by a dynamically equivalent constrained system of particles and Newton's second law is used to study the motion of the particles without introducing any rotational coordinates. The translational motion of the constrained particles represents the general motion of the rigid body both translationally and rotationally. The simplicity and the absence of any rotational coordinates from the final form of the equations of motion are considered the main advantages of this formulation. A velocity transformation is then used to transform the equations of motion to a reduced set in terms of selected relative joint variables. For an open-chain, this process automatically eliminates all of the non-working constraint forces and leads to efficient integration of the equations of motion. For a closed-chain, suitable joints should be cut and some cut-joint constraint equations should be included. An example of a closed-chain is used to demonstrate the generality and efficiency of the proposed method.

Different finite‐element‐based strategies used to represent the components' flexibility in multibody systems lead to various sets of co‐ordinates. For systems in which the bodies only experience small elastic deformations it is common to use mode component synthesis to reduce the number of generalized elastic co‐ordinates and, consequently, the equations of motion are written in terms of modal co‐ordinates. However, when the system components experience non‐linear deformations the use of reduction methods is not possible, in general, and the finite element nodal co‐ordinates are the generalized co‐ordinates used. Furthermore, depending on the type of finite elements used to represent each flexible body, the nodal co‐ordinates may include all node rotations and translations or only some of each. Regardless of the type of generalized co‐ordinates adopted it is required that kinematic joints are defined. The complete set of joints available in a general‐purpose multibody code must include, for each particular type of joint, restrictions involving only rigid bodies, or only flexible bodies, or flexible and rigid bodies. Therefore, the effort put into the development and implementation of any joint is at least three times as much as the initial work done in the implementation of joints with rigid bodies only. The concept of virtual bodies provides a general framework to develop general kinematic joints for flexible multibody systems with minimal effort, regardless of the flexible co‐ordinates used. Initially, only a rigid constraint between the flexible and a massless rigid body is developed. Then, any kinematic joint that involves a flexible body is set with the massless rigid body instead, using the regular joint library of the multibody code. The major drawback is that for each kinematic joint involving a flexible body it is required to use six more co‐ordinates per virtual body and six more kinematic constraints. It is shown in this work that for small elastic deformations, for which the mode component synthesis is applied, the use of sparse matrix solvers can compensate for the computational overhead of involving more co‐ordinates and kinematic constraints in the system, due to the use of virtual bodies. For non‐linear deformations, where the generalized co‐ordinates are the global positions of the finite‐element nodes, the use of the virtual body concept does not require an increase in the number of system co‐ordinates or kinematic constraints. By introducing the rigid joint between the flexible body nodal co‐ordinates and the virtual body, with the use of Lagrange multipliers, and then solving the equations explicitly for these multipliers the resulting equations of motion for the subsystem have the same degrees of freedom as the original flexible body alone. The difference is that degrees of freedom associated to the virtual body are used as co‐ordinates of the subsystem instead of the nodal co‐ordinates of the nodes of the flexible body attached to the virtual body. Copyright ©2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rather than the traditional vector differential equation, this paper introduces rigid body dynamics in a new form, as a matrix differential equation. We focus on axisymmetric rigid bodies which are adequate to describe a large class of problems, including tensegrity systems. For a system of beta rigid bodies, the forces are characterized in terms of network theory, and the kinematics are characterized in terms of the bar vectors (directed connections between two nodes attached to a rigid body). The dynamics are characterized by a second order differential equation in a 3 times 2beta configuration matrix. The first contribution of the paper is the dynamic model of a broad class of systems of rigid bodies, characterized in a compact form, requiring no inversion of a variable mass matrix. The second contribution is the derivation of all equilibria as a linear algebra problem in the control variables. The third contribution is the derivation of a linear model of the system of rigid bodies. One significance of these equations is the exact characterization of the statics and dynamics of all class 1 tensegrity structures, where rigid bar lengths are constant and the string force densities are control variables, which appear linearly. This will offer a significant advantage in control design tasks

Analytical mechanics is used to derive original 3D equations of motion that represent impact at a point in a system of rigid bodies. For oblique impact between rough bodies in an eccentric (unbalanced) configuration, these equations are used to compare the calculations of energy dissipation obtained using either the kinematic, the kinetic, or the energetic coefficient of restitution (COR); eN,eP, or e*. Examples demonstrate that for equal energy dissipation by nonfrictional sources, either eN≤e*≤eP or eP≤e*≤eN depending on whether the unbalance of the impact configuration is positive or negative relative to the initial direction of slip. Consequently, when friction brings initial slip to rest during the contact period, calculations that show energy gains from impact can result from either the kinematic or the kinetic COR. On the other hand, the energetic COR always correctly accounts for energy dissipation due to both hysteresis of the normal contact force and friction, i.e., it is energetically consistent.

The quaternion equations of disturbed motion of an artificial Earth satellite (AES) in Earth's gravitational field (with regard to its zonal, tesseral, and sectorial harmonics) are obtained in four-dimensional Kustaanheimo–Stiefel variables and in modified four-dimensional variables. In the latter variables the equations of satellite motion have a simpler and more symmetric structure, as compared to the equations of motion in the Kustaanheimo–Stiefel variables. The obtained equations are linear for undisturbed Keplerian motion and, in general, have the form of equations of motion of a disturbed four-dimensional oscillator. These equations, in contrast to classical equations, are regular (they do not contain specific points of singularity) for satellite motion in the central gravitational field of Earth under an effect of disturbing forces, the description of which does not contain negative, higher-than-first powers of the satellite distance to Earth's center. In these equations, the basic variables are Kustaanheimo–Stiefel variables, or modified four-dimensional variables proposed by the author, as well as satellite motion energy and time. The new independent variable is associated with time by the differential relation containing the satellite distance to Earth's center of mass. The equations are convenient for applying nonlinear mechanics methods and for high-precision numerical calculations. In the case of artificial satellite motion in Earth's gravitational field, the description of which does not take into account the tesseral and sectorial harmonics, but takes into account its zonal harmonics, the first integrals of the equations of satellite motion are found, and the replacements of variables and transformations of these equations are proposed, which allowed one to get, for studying satellite motion, closed systems of differential equations of lower dimension, in particular, the system of equations of fourth and third orders.

Any articulated system of rigid bodies defines a statically equivalent serial chain (SESC). The SESC is a virtual chain that terminates at the center of mass (CoM) of the original system of bodies. An SESC may be generated experimentally without knowing the mass, CoM, or length of each link in the system given that its joint angles and overall CoM may be measured. This paper presents three developments toward recognizing the SESC as a practical modeling technique. Two of the three developments improve utilizing the technique in practical applications where the arrangement of the joints impacts the derivation of the SESC. The final development provides insight into the number of poses needed to create a usable SESC in the presence of data collection errors. First, modifications to a matrix necessary in computing the SESC are proposed, followed by the experimental validation of SESC modeling. Second, the problem of generating an SESC experimentally when the system of bodies includes a mass fixed in the ground frame are presented and a remedy is proposed for humanoid-like systems. Third, an investigation of the error of the experimental SESC versus the number of data readings collected in the presence of errors in joint readings and CoM data is conducted. By conducting the method on three different systems with various levels of data error, a general form of the function for estimating the error of the experimental SESC is proposed.

Самопродвижение в идеальной жидкости тела с твердой оболочкой и переменной циркуляцией С. М. Рамоданов, В. А. Тененев, Д. В

Analytical Mechanics. Foundations of Engineering Mechanics Series

The new finite element studied here is of triangular type and is used in sheet stamping simulation. The number of equilibrium equations is half that of known methods owing to an original displacement description. The new trianglular element does not use any nodal rotation, and only the translations are useful. This is allowed by the theory of screw elements, which transform a case of rotation into a translational displacement with an offset, and by analogy with a system of rigid bodies. All the steps of the method are presented up to the evaluation of the stiffness matrix. Some examples of simulations are then given.

Asymptotic properties of the motions of a heavy gyroscope with internal dissipation

A method is presented for formulating and solving the Newton-Euler equations of motion of a system of interconnected rigid bodies. The digital simulation may involve numerical integration of the kinematic equations as well as the dynamic equations. The reaction forces and torques resulting from rigid constraints imposed at the connecting joints are also determined. The derivation of kinematic expressions for first and higher derivatives is demonstrated based on direct differentiation of the rotation matrix in the spirit of the classical vector approach. A representative problem in spatial mechanism analysis is solved and illustrated with numerical results.