Study on the symmetries and conserved quantities of flexible mechanical multibody dynamics

In this paper, in order to provides a powerful new tool for quantitative and qualitative analysis of dynamics properties in flexible mechanical multibody systems, the symmetry theory and numerical algorithms for preserving structure in modern analytical mechanics is introduced into flexible multibody dynamics. First, taking the hub-beam systems as an example, the original nonlinear partial differential-integral equations of the system dynamics model are discretized into the finite-dimensional Lagrange equations by using the assumed modal method. Second, the group analysis theory is introduced and the criterion equations and the corresponding conserved quantities of Noether symmetries are given according to the invariance principle, which provide an effective way for analytic integral theory of dynamic equations. Finally, a conserved quantity-preserving numerical algorithm is constructed by coordinates incremental discrete gradient, which makes full use of the invariance of conserved quantity to eliminate the error consumption for a long time. The simulation results show that the deeper mechanical laws and motion characteristics of flexible mechanical multibody systems dynamics can be obtained with the help of symmetries and conserved quantities, which can provide reference for more precise dynamic optimization design and advanced control of systems

On the Dynamics of a Heavy Symmetric Ball that Rolls Without Sliding on a Uniformly Rotating Surface of Revolution

We study the class of nonholonomic mechanical systems formed by a heavy symmetric ball that rolls without sliding on a surface of revolution, which is either at rest or rotates about its (vertical) figure axis with uniform angular velocity Omega. The first studies of these systems go back over a century, but a comprehensive understanding of their dynamics is still missing. The system has an SO(3) x SO(2) symmetry and reduces to four dimensions. We extend in various directions, particularly from the case Omega = 0 to the case Omega not equal 0, a number of previous results and give new results. In particular, we prove that the reduced system is Hamiltonizable even if Omega not equal 0 and, exploiting the recently introduced "moving energy," we give sufficient conditions on the profile of the surface that ensure the periodicity of the reduced dynamics and hence the quasiperiodicity of the unreduced dynamics on tori of dimension up to three. Furthermore, we determine all the equilibria of the reduced system, which are classified in three distinct families, and determine their stability properties. In addition to this, we give a new form of the equations of motion of nonholonomic systems in quasi-velocities which, at variance from the well-known Hamel equations, use any set of quasi-velocities and explicitly contain the reaction forces

First Integrals and symmetries of nonholonomic systems

In nonholonomic mechanics, the presence of constraints in the velocities breaks the well-under\-stood link between symmetries and first integrals of holonomic systems, expressed in Noether's Theorem. However there is a known special class of first integrals of nonholonomic systems generated by vector fields tangent to the group orbits, called {\it horizontal gauge momenta}, that suggest that some version of this link should still hold. In this paper we prove that, under certain conditions on the symmetry Lie group, the (nonholonomic) momentum map is conserved along the nonholonomic dynamics, thus extending Noether Theorem to the nonholonomic framework. Our analysis leads to a constructive method, with fundamental consequences to the integrability of some nonholonomic systems as well as their hamiltonization. We apply our results to three paradigmatic examples: the snakeboard, a solid of revolution rolling without sliding on a plane and a heavy homogeneous ball that rolls without sliding inside a convex surface of revolution. In particular, for the snakeboard we show the existence of a new horizontal gauge momentum that reveals new aspects of its integrability