Continuous/discrete modeling and analysis of elastic planar multi-body systems

The modeling and analysis of continuous/discrete multi-body systems are described, with emphasis on applications to elastic planar closed-loop systems. Whereas the continuous formulations presented can be applied to simplified models (with less effort) to help isolate the dominant factors for parametric evaluations in preliminary analysis studies, on the other hand, the finite element formulations described are, in general, applicable for more complex geometries and larger problems. In this regard, an explicit self-starting velocity-based time integration architecture is employed for the numerical simulation of multi-body dynamics with several inherent attractive features. Numerical test cases for planar multi-body dynamic situations employing the Timoshenko beam theory are presented from a generalized viewpoint in conjunction with the present formulations to validate the applicability of the proposed formulations.