An Articulated Body Algorithm for Modelling and Simulation of an Underwater Vehicle Equipped With Manipulator Arm

In this paper, an efficient dynamic simulation algorithm is developed for an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) with a N degrees of freedom manipulator. In addition to the effects of mobile base, the various hydrodynamic forces exerted on these systems in an underwater environment are also incorporated into the simulation. The effects modeled in this work are added mass, viscous drag, fluid acceleration, and buoyancy forces. Also the dynamics of thrusters are developed, and an appropriate mapping matrix dependent on the position and orientation of the thrusters on the vehicle, is used to calculate resultant forces and moments of the thrusters on the center of gravity of the vehicle. It should be noted that hull-propeller and propeller-propeller interactions are considered in the modeling too. Finally the results of the simulations are presented.