Direct differentiation method for sensitivity analysis based on transfer matrix method for multibody systems

Abstract

SummaryOn one hand, the new version of transfer matrix method for multibody systems (NV‐MSTMM), has been proposed by formulating transfer equations of elements in acceleration level instead of position level as in the original discrete time transfer matrix method of multibody systems to study multibody system dynamics. This new formulation avoids local linearization and allows using any integration algorithms. On the other hand, sensitivity analysis is an important way to improve the optimization efficiency of multibody system dynamics. In this paper, a totally novel direct differentiation method based on NV‐MSTMM for sensitivity analysis of multibody systems is developed. Based on direct differentiation method, sensitivity analysis matrix for each kind of element is established. By assembling transfer matrices and sensitivity analysis matrices based on differentiation law of multiplication, the sensitivity analysis equation of overall transfer equation is deduced. The computing procedure of the proposed method is also presented. All these improvements as well as three numerical examples show that the direct differentiation method based on NV‐MSTMM is suitable for optimizing the dynamic sensitivity in multi–rigid‐body systems.