Advanced Design of Mechanical Systems: from Analysis to Optimization
June 23, 2008 — June 27, 2008
Coordinator:
- Peter Eberhard (University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany)
Multibody systems are used extensively in mechanical systems including structural and non-structural applications. It can be argued that among all the areas in solid mechanics the methodologies and applications associated to multibody dynamics are those that provide a better framework to aggregate different disciplines. This idea is clearly reflected in the multidisciplinary applications in biomechanics that use multibody dynamics to describe the motion of the biological entities, in finite elements where multibody dynamics provide powerful tools to describe large motion and kinematic restrictions between system components, in system control where the methodologies used in multibody dynamics are the prime form of describing the systems under analysis, or even in many applications that involve fluid-structures interaction or aeroelasticity. The development of industrial products or to the development of analysis tools, using multibody dynamics methodologies, requires that the final developments are the best possible within some limitations, i.e., they must be optimal. Furthermore, the performance of the developed systems must either be relatively insensitive to some of their design parameters or be sensitive in a controlled manner to other variables. Therefore, the sensitivity analysis of such systems is fundamental to support the decision making process.
The course presents a broad range of tools for designing mechanical systems ranging from the kinematic and dynamic analysis of rigid and flexible multibody systems to their advanced optimization. The multibody kinematics and dynamics methodologies are presented from the fundamentals to the point where it is possible to build and analyze complex multibody models of machines, vehicles and biomechanics. The design sensitivity and optimization methods are presented and applied to these systems to solve problems in design optimization, reliability or parameter identification. It is intended that the models developed demonstrate cases of practical importance and that the methods presented are used as tools for advanced design.
The course brings together in a tutorial manner a comprehensive summary of current work in the analysis and design of mechanical systems using advanced optimization methods and it is, therefore, suitable for a wide scope of interests ranging from postgraduate and Ph.D. students to researchers, developers or engineers in industry. Through the applications to the design of machine components, to surface transportation vehicles for ride, maneuverability and crashworthiness, or to biomechanics, young researchers, university professors or industry experts, in different areas, can appraise the multidisciplinary aspects of the methodologies presented in the course.