On general nonlinear constrained mechanical systems

Abstract

This paper develops a new, simple, general, and explicit form of the equations of motion for general constrained mechanical systems that can have holonomic and/or nonholonomic constraints that may or may not be ideal, and that may contain either positive semi-definite or positive definite mass matrices. This is done through the replacement of the actual unconstrained mechanical system, which may have a positive semi-definite mass matrix, with an unconstrained auxiliary system whose mass matrix is positive definite and which is subjected to the same holonomic and/or nonholonomic constraints as those applied to the actual unconstrained mechanical system. A simple, unified fundamental equation that gives in closed-form both the acceleration of the constrained mechanical system and the constraint force is obtained. The results herein provide deeper insights into the behavior of constrained motion and open up new approaches to modeling complex, constrained mechanical systems, such as those encountered in multi-body dynamics.