Computational dynamics: theory and applications of multibody systems

International audienceMultibody system dynamics is an essential part of computational dynamics a topic more generally dealing with kinematics and dynamics of rigid and flexible systems, finite elements methods, and numerical methods for synthesis, optimization and control including nonlinear dynamics approaches. The theoretical background of multibody dynamics is presented, the efficiency of recursive algorithms is shown, methods for dynamical analysis are summarized, and applications to vehicle dynamics and biomechanics are reported. In particular, the wear of railway wheels of high-speed trains and the metabolical cost of human locomotion is analyzed using multibody system methods

A fine pointing system for the large space telescope

The large space telescope (LST) developed by NASA requires ultrahigh pointing stability within 0.0005 arc sec rms. A fine guidance system is proposed to body-point the entire spacecraft within this limit. The spacecraft is modeled as a rigid body having reaction wheel actuators and subject to gravitational and magnetic disturbance torques. The fine guidance sensor is cluttered with electronic noise. The disturbance accommodation standard deviation optimal controller (DASOC) is designed to be optimal with respect to the transient and the steady state response to noise, whereas the steady state response to deterministic external torques is exactly zero. Compared with conventional controllers, the fine guidance system with the DASOC offers as much as a factor of 30 improvement in pointing stability, resulting in an optimal performance of nearly 0.0001 arc sec rms. Thus, the required pointing stability can easily be obtained, and a large margin remains for the compensation of possibile deteriorations

Prospects of the German multibody system research project on vehicle dynamics simulation

The German Research Council (DFG) decided 1987 to establish a nationwide research project devoted to dynamics of multibody systems. In this project 14 universities and research centers are cooperating with the goal to develop a general purpose multibody system software package. This concept provides the opportunity to use a modular structure of the software, i.e. different multibody formalisms may be combined with different simulation programmes via standardized interfaces. For the DFG project the database RSYST was chosen using standard FORTRAN 77 and an object oriented multibody system datamodel was defined. According to the modular concept the requirements of vehicle system dynamics as tire models or railway wheel-rail models, respectively, are easily met. The Iltis benchmark problem is used to demonstrate some features of the object oriented datamodel

An object oriented data model for vehicle dynamics problems

The design of automotive systems using computer codes for vehicle dynamics problems features cost reduction and quality enhancement. This paper presents two basic approaches. The first approach deals with the application of CAD data bases to the evaluation of input data for multibody system formalisms, most adequate for automotive system modelling. An object oriented data model for multibody systems is presented. The second approach covers the development of an integrated simulation tool for automotive vehicles and the corresponding animation facilities. As an example the dynamical analysis of a van is shown including the choice of optimal suspension parameters

Nonlinear oscillations in multibody systems : modeling and stability assessment

The method of multibody systems results in highly nonlinear and often high-dimensional dynamical equations featuring a broad variety of nonlinear oscillations. The generation of equations of motion, simulation tools and an approach for the stability assessment of nonlinear oscillations from an engineering point of view are presented

Lage- und Kraftregelung strukturvariabler mechanischer Systeme

Strukturvariable mechanische Systeme sind in der Fertigungstechnik und bei Transportvorgängen häufig zu finden. Eine wichtige Aufgabe besteht darin, geeignete Regelgesetze für einen sanften Bewegungsablauf ohne Kraftsprünge und Kraftimpulse (Stöße) zu finden. Es werden zunächst die Bewegungs- und Reaktionsgleichungen von Mehrkörpersystemen mit Minimalkoordinaten aufgestellt. Dann werden geeignete Regelgesetze entworfen, welche die Sollbewegung sicherstellen und kleine Störungen in den Sensorsignalen ausregeln. Die Methode wird am Beispiel einer ebenen, aus sieben starren Körpern aufgebauten Gehmaschine verdeutlicht. Der Bodenkontakt des abhebenden Fußes erweist sich als vollständig steuerbar, so daß Kraftsprünge beim Übergang von der Stützphase in die Schwingphase vermieden werden können. Der auftretende Fuß erreicht den Boden ohne Stoß

Multibody systems and robot dynamics

The method of multibody system has been developed during the last two decades with application to various engineering topics, including robotics and walking machines. On the other hand, special algorithms for robot dynamics are available featuring the high computational efficiency required for control purposes. This paper shows the close relation between both approaches. Essential criteria for the effeciency of dynamics software are the numbers of coordinates used, which should be minimal. For illustration a two-body system is considered, including open and cIosed loop configurations

Simulation based design of automotive systems

The design of automotive systems using simulation tools features cost reduction and quality enhancement. This paper presents two basic approaches. The rust approach deals with the application of CAD data bases to the evaluation of input data for multibody system formalisms, most adequate for automotive system modeling. An object oriented data model for multibody systems is presented. The second approach covers the development of an integrated simulation tool for automotive vehicles and the corresponding animation facilities. Driving comfort is related to the human perception of mechanical vibration. A companion paper deals with the optimization of automobile parameters using the multi body systems approach

Stability numbers for nonlinear systems

The definition of Lyapunov stability is used for the introduction of stability numbers for nonlinear systems. A norm of the initial conditions || X 0 || and a norm of the system response || X (t)|| are related to each other, resulting in stability numbers depending on the initial conditions. This concept presents some information on the global behaviour of the system including all types of solutions from limit cycles to strange attractors. The stability numbers characterize that part of the state space in which the motion occurs