This project addresses a current and increasing need to better understand the structural stiffness characteristics of complex multi body mechanical systems. Robots, articulated spacecraft and many other configurations fall in this class of systems. Currently, it is generally assumed that the structural stiffnesses of system components are nearly constant over a wide range of rotational motion. The trend toward lighter weight components invalidates this assumption and demands a reexamination of the issue of structural stiffness for flexible multibody systems. This research develops new strategies and techniques for understanding this issue and for the simulation of large displacement, small deformation behavior of complicated multibody systems.
