ME 6590 Multibody Dynamics

Connecting Joints Part I

o Connecting joints constrain the relative motion between adjoining bodies in a

multibody system. Joints range from allowing no relative motion (totally rigid joint) to
allowing all motions (free joint).
o When degrees of freedom are removed, constraint forces or torques result. When
degrees of freedom are not removed, forces or torques at a joint may or may not be
zero. For example, bodies may be connected with springs and dampers that do not
remove degrees of freedom, but do restrict the motion by applying loads associated
with the relative motions.
o A listing of common connecting joints is shown in the following table.

Joint Degrees of Freedom

Rigid 0
Hinge (revolute) 1 (1 rotation)
Spherical (ball & socket) 3 (3 rotation)
Two-Angle (universal) 2 (2 rotation)
Prismatic (slider) 1 (1 translation)
Cylindrical 2 (1 translation, 1 rotation)
Free 6 (3 translation, 3 rotation)

o For every degree of freedom that a joint eliminates, a constraint equation must be
written. The following paragraphs outline the form of the constraint equations for some
of the common joints.

Spherical Joint: Absolute Coordinates

o A spherical (or ball and socket) joint allows

two bodies to share a common point, but to
rotate freely relative to each other. If we use
absolute coordinates, then the constraint
equation can be written as

pG pG CB q2 CB r2
2 1 1 2

or

p p C
G2 G1 B1
q2 CB2 r2 0 (1)

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o Eq. (1) represents a set of three scalar constraint equations that eliminate the three
translational degrees of freedom between the bodies.
o For incorporation into a set of equations of motion, the constraint equations may be
differentiated twice so they are in the form of second order differential equations.
Using inertial angular velocity components gives

0 vG vG CB q2 CB r2
2 1 1 2

vG2 vG1 B1 CB1 q2 B2 CB2 r2
vG vG B q2 B r2
2 1 1 2

vG vG q2 B r2 B
2 1 1 2

o Differentiating again gives

0 aG aG q2 B q2 B r2 B r2 B
2 1 1 1 2 2
(2)

Calculation of the elements of q2 and r2 were discussed in earlier notes.

o Using body-fixed angular velocity components gives

0 vG vG CB q2 CB r2
2 1 1 2

vG2 vG1 CB1 B 1 q2 CB2 B 2 r2
vG vG CB q2 B CB r2 B
2 1 1 1 2 2

Differentiating again gives

0 aG aG CB q2 B CB q2 B
2 1 1 1 1 1

CB2 r2 B2 CB2 r2 B2
or

0 aG aG CB q2 B CB B q2 B
2 1 1 1 1 1 1
(3)

CB2 r2 B2 CB2 B2 r2 B2

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 Spherical Joint: Relative Coordinates

o Consider now the use of relative coordinates to

describe the positions of points within the
multibody system as shown in the figure.
o To define a spherical joint that attaches the
points Q2 and O2 , the constraint equations are
simply

s2 s2 s2 0 (4)

Hinge (Revolute) Joint: Absolute Coordinates

o Like the spherical joint, the hinge joint connects

two bodies at a single point, so the translational
constraints are as given in Eq. (1).
o In addition, however, the hinge joint also
restricts the relative rotational motion of the
bodies by eliminating two of the three rotational
degrees of freedom.
o Consider the two bodies shown in the diagram. Let hBi be a vector fixed in Bi parallel
to the hinge joint, and let f Bi and g Bi be vectors fixed in Bi that are perpendicular to
the hinge axis (and, hence, hBi ). Then, the rotational constraint can be expressed
directly in terms of the angular velocities as follows

f B1 B1B2 f B1 RB2 RB1 0 or
f B2 B1B2 f B2 RB2 RB1 0 (5)
g B1 B1B2 g B1 R
B RB
2 1
0 or g B2 B1B2 g B2 B R
R
2
0
B1 (6)

o Initial conditions are used to ensure the alignment of hB2 with hB1 .

o Using inertial angular velocity components the first of Eqs. (5) and (6) may be written

B B CB f B
T T
0 f B1 2 1 1 1 B2 B1

f C
T T
B1

B1 B2 B1

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 and
0 g B1
T
B2 B1

g C
T T
B1 B1 B2 B1

o These equations can be differentiated to give

0 f B1 CB1 f C
T T T T
B2 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1

f B1 CB1 f C
T T T T
B2 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1

f B1 CB1 f C
T T T T T
B2 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1

and
0 g B1 CB1 g C
T T T T
B2 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1

g B1 CB1 g C
T T T T
B2 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1

g B1 CB1 g C
T T T T T
B2 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1

So, finally, the two differentiated constraint equations are

0 f B1 CB1 f C
T T T T T
B2 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1 (7)

0 g B1 CB1 g C
T T T T T
B2 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1 (8)

o Using body-fixed angular velocity components gives

0 f B1 CB2 / B1 B 2 B 1 f B1 CB1 CB2 B 2 B 1
T T T

0 g C g C
T T T
B1 B2 / B1 B2 B1 B1

B1 CB2 B2 B1

o These equations can be differentiated to give

0 f B1 CB1 CB2 B 2 B1
T T

f C
(9)
CB2 B 2 B 1 CB1 CB2 B 2
T T T
B1 B1

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0 g B1 CB1 CB2 B 2 B1
T T

g C
(10)
CB2 B 2 B1 CB1 CB2 B 2
T T T
B1 B1

Hinge (Revolute) Joint: Relative Coordinates

o The translation constraints are the same as the spherical joint as given in Eq. (4).
o To derive the additional rotational constraint equations, we start with the same set-up
used for absolute coordinates. That is, let hBi be a vector fixed in Bi parallel to the
hinge joint, and let f Bi and g Bi be vectors fixed in Bi that are perpendicular to the
hinge joint (and, hence, hBi ). Then, the rotational constraint can be expressed directly in
terms of the angular velocities as follows
f B1 B1 B2 f B1 B2 0 or f B2 B1 B2 f B2 B2 0 (11)
g B1 B1 B2 g B1 B2 0 or g B2 B1 B2 g B2 B2 0 (12)

o As before, initial conditions are used to ensure the alignment of hB2 with hB1 .

o Differentiating the above equations and using B1 components of B2 gives

f 0
T
B1 B2 (13)

g 0
T
B1 B2 (14)

o Differentiating the above equations and using B2 components of B2 gives

f 0
T
B2 B2 (15)

g 0
T
B2 B2 (16)

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