A SYSTEMATIC FORMULATION FOR DYNAMICS OF FLEXIBLE MULTIBODY SYSTEMS USING THE VELOCITY TRANSFORMATION TECHNIQUE

An efficient and systematic formulation for dynamics of spatial multi- body systems with flexible bodies is presented using the velocity tran sformation technique. The Cartesian variables are expressed in terms o f the relative and elastic variables. Using the resulting kinemtic rel ationships, the velocity and acceleration transformation equations are derived and used to transform the equations of motion from the Cartes ian coordinate space to the relative coordinate space. In order to red uce the number of elastic coordinates, elastic deformations are repres ented by the vibration normal modes obtained from the finite element a nalysis. The Euler parameters are used as the rotational coordinates s ince they are convenient for algebraic manipulation and have no singul ar condition. The formulation is illustrated by means of two numerical examples.