ON VARIOUS NONLINEAR ROD THEORIES FOR THE DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF MULTIBODY SYSTEMS .2. APPLICATIONS

The accuracy and effectiveness of the Simo-Vu-Quoc approach, the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, the Timoshenko beam theory, the consistent second order theory, the Green-Lagrange theory, and Kane-Ryan-Banerjee approach, used to capture the so-called centrifugal stiffening effects, are numerically investigated for comparative purposes. Whereas Part I presents the analytical comparison of various non-linear rod theories for the dynamic analysis of multi-body systems, Part II describes the finite element implementation of these formulations with the typical example of a chain of flexible links, constrained to remain in a horizontal plane without gravity loads. © 1993 Academic Press Limited.