ON CONFIGURATIONS OF SYMBOLIC EQUATIONS OF MOTION FOR RIGID MULTIBODY SYSTEMS

An algorithmic procedure for generating symbolic equations of motion for rigid multibody systems based on a Matrix-Vector approach is presented in this paper. The ease of computation and power inherent in this approach are demonstrated through a series of illustrative examples. Various techniques such as simultaneous generation of second order differential equations of motion and conversion to first order differential equations of motion in Hamiltonian variables, generalized coordinates transformation, order reduction using holonomic and nonholonomic constraint equations and block construction of equations of motion for the compound system from the equations of motion of the sub-systems are described.