Multibody Dynamics

Multibody dynamics is the study of the dynamic behaviors of mechanical systems that consist of rigid and/or flexible bodies connected by joints. The bodies undergo translational and rotational motions caused by applied forces, torques, and constraints. Simscape™ Multibody™ enables you to perform multibody dynamics simulations for complex systems, such as robots, vehicles, construction equipment, or aircraft landing gear. You can specify force, torque, and motion inputs to drive your model and simulate the dynamic responses of the model.

To specify the degrees of freedom between a pair of bodies, use blocks in the Joints and Constraints libraries. For example, you can use the Prismatic Joint block and Revolute Joint block to model the straight-line and rotary motions of a slider-crank mechanism. You can use the Point on Curve Constraint block to model the constraint between a roller coaster car and the track.

To model forces and torques that act on bodies, use blocks in the Forces and Torques library. For example, you can use the Magic Formula Tire Force and Torque block to model the tire forces and torques between a tire and ground surface. When modeling contact problems, such as robotic grasping, you can use the Spatial Contact Force block to simulate forces between a pair of bodies.

To measure the relative motions between bodies, you can use the Transform Sensor block. To measure forces and torques, you can use blocks in the Constraints, Joints, and Forces and Torques libraries. The loads on the bodies at the joints can be measured at the joint blocks, and a constraint block can sense the forces and torques that maintain the constraint between a pair of bodies. Each of these quantities help you answer important questions as you analyze the multibody dynamics of the mechanical system.