Configuration sensitivity analysis of mechanical dynamics

Abstract

Design sensitivity is an important device in improving a mechanical system design. A continuum design consists of the shape and orientation design. This research develops the shape and orientation design sensitivity method. The configuration design variables of multibody systems define the shape and orientation changes. The equations of motion are directly differentiated to obtain the governing equations for the design sensitivity. The governing equation of the design sensitivity is formulated as an overdetermined differential algebraic equation and treated as ordinary differential equations on manifolds. The material derivative of a domain functional is performed to obtain the sensitivity due to shape and orientation changes. The configuration design sensitivities of a fly-ball governor system and a spatial four bar mechanism are obtained using the proposed method and are validated against those obtained from the finite difference method.