Application of the Canonical Equations of Motion in Problems of Constrained Multibody Systems With Intermittent Motion

For mechanical systems that undergo intermittent motion, the usual formulation of the equations of motion is not valid over the periods of the discontinuity, and a procedure for balancing the momenta of the system is often performed. A canonical form of the equations of motion is used here as the differential equations of motion. A set of momentum balance-impulse equations are derived in terms of the system total momenta by explicitly integrating the canonical equations. The method shows to be stable while numerically integrating the canonical equations, and efficient while solving the momentum balance-impulse equations. Examples are provided to illustrate the validity of the method.