Equivalence of the floating frame of reference approach and finite element formulations (Q1390085)

The authors demonstrate the equivalence of two different formulations used in flexible body dynamics: the floating frame of reference approach, and absolute nodal coordinate formulation. In the floating frame of reference formulation, a coordinate system is assigned to each deformable body. The large rigid body displacement is described using a set of absolute Cartesian and orientation coordinates, and the deformation of the body is described by local shape functions and deformation coordinates defined in the body coordinate system. In this approach, there is no rigid body motion in its coordinate system. The floating frame of reference formulation leads to a highly nonlinear mass matrix, whereas the stiffness matrix is linear if the linear elastic model is used. The absolute nodal coordinate formulation employs non-infinitesimal and finite rotations as nodal coordinates. The slopes at the initial configuration are determined using rigid body kinematics, which leads to a constant mass matrix in the linear structural dynamics. But the stiffnes matrix is nonlinear even in the case of linear elastic models. Using a relationship between local and the global slopes, the authors derive a relationship between the coordinates used in the floating frame of reference formulation and the absolute nodal coordinate formulation, which allows to prove the equivalence of two formulations.