Symbolic modeling of multibody systems. (Q1417207)

This is a monograph on multibody system modelling and on the associated dynamics of the resulting models. The emphasis is upon symbolic modelling and the computer generation of governing dynamical equations. The volume is intended for researchers and practitioners concerned with the dynamics of large complex mechanical systems. The book is also represented to be a teaching aid for students. The treatise is divided into three major parts spanning 12 chapters. The first, and largest of these parts is devoted to theoretical considerations. It contains 5 of the 12 chapters. The first chapter provides a rather rapid, summary review of fundamental mechanics. The second chapter then focuses upon rigid body dynamics and includes such topics as generalized coordinates, constraints, Newton-Euler methods and variational techniques. In the third and fourth chapters the authors present a reasonably comprehensive description of multibody systems and methodologies, such as barycentric parameters, virtual power principle, body labeling, and numerical procedures. The final chapter in this first part is then devoted to the symbolic generation of governing equations with a focus upon the underlying algorithms. The second part, also containing 5 chapters, is directed to applications to particular multibody systems. These are: roadway vehicles, railway vehicles, mechanisms, and systems with flexible members. The final chapter in the second part discusses integration procedures for governing equations. The third and final part is a tutorial, listing a host of problems with outlines for solution. The book summarizes many research results developed by the authors and their colleagues at their research institute. Many of these results are appearing for the first time in a bound volume. The book is reasonably well written, and the analyses appear to be sound. The authors, however, assume that the readers will have a working knowledge of the principles of mechanics and the associated mathematical and computational methods.