last modified 02/03/2006

Coursecode: wb1310
Coursename: Multibody Dynamics A

Checkout the wb1310 home-page for up-to-date information.

Concerns: a Course + Exercises
ECTS credit points: 3
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology
Lecturer(s): Dr.Ir. Arend L. Schwab Tel.: 015-27 82701
Catalog data:
Mechanics, Kinematics, Dynamics, Multibody Systems, Multibody Dynamics Software.		 Course year: MSc 1st year
Course language: Dutch (English on request)
Semester: 2B
Hours p/w: 2
Other hours: 4
Assessment: Written+Lab Report
Assessm.period(s): 2B, August
Prerequisites: wb1113wb, wb1216

Follow up: wb1413

Detailed description of topics:
Multibody Dynamics id about the analysis of the motion of complex mechanical systems as in a robot arm, a railway bogie or a gantry crane. In this course you will learn about the fundamentals of Multibody Dynamics: the description of the orientation of a rigid body in space, the Newton-Euler equations of motion for a 3D rigid body, how to add constraints to the equations of motion, and how to solve such a system of coupled equations. Next you will spend most of the time (80%) in doing the assignments with the ADAMS Software.

Course material:
 Lecture Notes and M.Wisse, Introduction to ADAMS, Delft, 1999.

References from literature:   
  • A.A.Shabana, ' Dynamics of multibody systems', Wiley, New York, 1998. 
  • E.J.Haug, ' Computer aided kinematics and dynamics of mechanical systems, Volume I: Basic methods', Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 1989.
  • P.E.Nikravesh, ' Computer-aided analysis of mechanical systems', Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1988.
  • M. Géradin,  A. Cardano, ' Flexible multibody dynamics: A finite element approach', J. Wiley, Chichester, New York, 2001.

Remarks (specific information about assesment, entry requirements, etc.):
The written exam is of the open book type and has the form of a questionnaire about the findings as written down in your Lab Report. This report serves as reference material for your exam. At the end of the exam the questionnaire together with the Lab Report are to be handed over, The grading is on both items.

Checkout the wb1310 home-page for up-to-date information.

Goals:
The student must be able to:

  1. apply the Newton-Euler equations of motion to a single 3D rigid body

  2. describe the orientation of a rigid body in 3-D space by means of Euler angles and derive expressions for the angular velocities in terms of the Euler angles and their time derivatives

  3. construct a computer model of a complex mechanical system by selecting the appropriate number of rigid bodies, and number and type of constraints

  4. make approximate dynamic calculations for a complex computer model in order to determine for instance the stiffness and the damping of individual components

  5. make approximate dynamic calculations for a vehicle system model in order to verify for instance the eigenfrequencies and the equilibrium state in steady motion

  6. explain the difference between the results from a dynamic analysis on the model and the behaviour of the real system, identify the limitations of the model

  7. explain the finite accuracy of the results from a dynamic analysis due to the finite accuracy of the numerical integration together with the constraint violations

Computer use:
The course and the course/lab work are fully computer-oriented.
Laboratory project(s):
The Lab assignment consists of a number of practical problems that have to be worked out with the software package ADAMS. Your findings are to be put down in a Lab Report.
Design content:
Percentage of design: 25%