Analysis of multibody systems experiencing large elastic deformations

This study presents an approach based on the floating frame of reference method to model complex three-dimensional bodies in a multibody system using solid and plate elements. Unlike most of the formulations based on the floating frame of reference method, which assume small or moderate deformations, the present formulation allows large elastic deformations within each frame by using the corotational form of the updated Lagrangian description of motion. The implicit integration scheme is based on the Generalized-α method, and kinematic joints are invoked in the formulation through the coordinate partitioning method. A triangular element with three nodes and a solid wedge element with six nodes have been developed to facilitate the modeling of three-dimensional bodies with arbitrary geometry. Various numerical examples have been considered to demonstrate the robustness of the present approach.