Study Programmes 2016-2017
MECA0031-2  
Kinematics and dynamics of mechanisms
Duration :
30h Th, 20h Pr, 40h Proj.
Number of credits :
Master in aerospace engineering (120 ECTS)5
Master in biomedical engineering (120 ECTS)5
Master in computer science and engineering (120 ECTS)5
Master in mechanical engineering (120 ECTS)5
Lecturer :
Olivier Bruls
Language(s) of instruction :
English language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the second semester
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents :
In this course, the student will get familiar with engineering techniques that are used for the design of articulated systems, with applications in the fields of automotive design (power train, suspension), airplane design (flaps, landing gears), space technologies (deployable structures), biomedical engineering (biomechanics of the musculo-skeletal system), robotics and wind turbines.
  • Introduction : historical remarks, fields of application, topology of a mechanism, degrees of freedom, generalized coordinates
  • Kinematics: rigid body (finite rotations, computation of positions velocities and accelerations), multibody systems, formulation using absolute coordinates
  • Dynamics: d'Alembert and Hamilton principles, rigid-body dynamics, treatment of kinematic constraints (constraint elimination technique, Lagrange multiplier method), finite element method for multibody systems
  • Flexible systems: discrete elastic systems, nonlinear finite element method (strain measures, spatial discretization, bar element, beam element), super-element technique (corotational formulation, modal reduction)
  • Numerical methods: time integration algorithms for ordinary differential equations and differential-algebraic equations
  • Introduction to the dynamics of mechatronic systems: coupled modelling of a mechanism and its control system (sensors, actuators, controllers)
  • Application to problems from automotive design, aeronautics, space technology and biomedical engineering.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit :
  • Basic theoretical concepts in multibody system dynamics
  • Understanding analysis and simulation methods that are used for the simulation of multibody systems
  • Utilization of a simulation software in order to solve practical engineering problems
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
  • Linear algebra
  • Numerical methods
  • Classical mechanics
  • Solid mechanics
  • Finite element method
  • MATLAB programming
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Exercises sessions. Sessions on computer (introduction to SAMCEF/MECANO, see www.samtech.com). Practical work by groups of two students (use of MATLAB and SAMCEF/MECANO software).
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
The course includes
  • lectures
  • exercise sessions
  • laboratory sessions for an introduction to the SAMCEF/MECANO software
  • Two practical works to be prepared in groups of two students using MATLAB and SAMCEF/MECANO. Sessions will be organized for the follow-up.
Recommended or required readings :
  • Lecture notes will be available at the "Centrale des cours".
  • Reference book: M. Géradin, A. Cardona, Flexible Multibody Dynamics - A Finite Element Approach, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 2001.
Assessment methods and criteria :
Two elements are considered for the evaluation
  • the theory exam (oral, 50%)
  • the practical works (report and oral defense, 50%)
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
For the practical works, students are invited to get MATLAB and SAMCEF Student software.
Contacts :
Olivier Brüls: o.bruls@ulg.ac.be