Integration of Finite Element and Multibody Dynamics Models Using Gluing Algorithm
This paper provides a method of the coupling multibody dynamics (MBD) and finite element (FE) codes to solve flexible multibody dynamics problems across a distributed simulation platform. The aim is to minimize the information exchange across the different platforms yet still obtain results of engineering accuracy. Many approaches for solving flexible multibody systems consisting of elastic and rigid components have focused on how the equations of motion for the flexible components can be formulated and combined with other component equations. We present a Partitioned Iteration Method (PIM), which can decouple the elastic deformation and rigid body motion of the flexible body by employing a CG-following floating reference frame. In the PIM, the global motion of a flexible body is expressed as a summation of the linearized elastic deformation measured in the CG-following reference frame and the motion of the reference frame and be solved in separated finite element and multibody dynamics solvers. The PIM is combined with the gluing algorithm and is used to solve multiple flexible bodies in a distributed simulation environment. It enables the use of independent simulation servers, where each server can run commercially available or research-based MBD and/or FE solvers. Examples are provided to demonstrate the performance of the new method and to show how to decouple and integrate a general flexible multi-body dynamics system.