FLEXIBLE MULTIBODY SYSTEMS FLUID INTERACTION

Modelling the dynamics of a flexible multibody system coupled to a rig id container carrying a fluid with a free surface is addressed. The pr oposed methodology allows the analyst to implement all sort of non-lin earities inherent in the dynamics of the structure. Potential flow wit h modified Rayleigh damping is used to model the fluid. Non-linear slo shing effects are considered and no simplifications are made on the fi eld equations and boundary conditions. A set of first-order differenti al equations for the motion of both the structure and the fluid are pr esented. Emphasis is placed on the point that the motion of the flexib le multibody system is not prescribed but is found as part of the solu tion procedure. Some improvements are presented with respect to a prev ious introductory work by the authors. Detailed derivations and two nu merical examples are presented: a flexible column supporting a rigid w ater tank (with a comparison using an approximate method) and a double flexible-link pendulum coupled to a rigid container. (C) 1998 John Wi ley & Sons, Ltd. This paper was produced under the auspices of the U.S . Government and it is therefore not subjected to copyright in the U.S .