Graph theoretic modeling and analysis of multibody planar mechanical systems

A methodology of modeling and analysis of planar mechanical systems is developed based on graph theoretic methods, with improvements in component models. The system model based on cutset and circuit topologies is used to derive a new hybrid cutset-circuit method of formulation of the equations of motion for planar systems. Computer-aided formulation is based on analysis of the substitution procedure mandated by the hybrid cutset-circuit formulation. A new graphical representation of the formulation process is introduced: substitution graphs. No special programming is needed for computer-aided formulation which can be achieved in a symbolic form using the off the shelf Maple symbolic mathematics system. Symbolic formulation requires only inputting the systems equations in an order and form as derived from the analysis of the hybrid formulation. An algorithm for symbolic formulation using Maple is given. A compact set of differential-algebraic equations results, which can be solved numerically. Some simple systems will result in closed-form solutions. A number of examples are given to illustrate the modeling and formulation. Numerical solutions are also given to demonstrate the effectiveness and correctness of the formulation procedure.