Discrete time transfer matrix method for dynamics of a multi-rigid-flexible-body system moving in plane

A new method of multi-body system (MS) dynamics, named discrete time transfer matrix method of multi-body system (MS-DT-TMM), has been developed to study multi-rigid-body system dynamics in recent years. When using this method, global dynamics equations of the system are not needed and the orders of involved system matrices are always very small. By defining new state vectors and developing new transfer matrices for a multi-rigid-flexible-body system (MRFS) to expand the MS-DT-TMM, a new method, named discrete time transfer matrix method of MRFS (MRFS-DT-TMM), has been developed to study MRFS dynamics in this article. If MRFS-DT-TMM is used, as an MS-DT-TMM, the global dynamics equations of the systems are not needed in the study of MRFS dynamics, the orders of involved matrices are always very small, and the computational speed is high irrespective of the size of an MRFS. This method is simple, straightforward, and practical, and provides a powerful toot for MRFS dynamics. Formulations of the method as well as numerical examples of MRFS dynamics are given to validate the method.