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On the use of Euler parameters in multibody dynamics
Author(s) -
Betsch Peter
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pamm
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1617-7061
DOI - 10.1002/pamm.200610023
Subject(s) - semi implicit euler method , euler's formula , euler angles , quaternion , euler equations , euler method , multibody system , rigid body dynamics , integrator , mathematics , backward euler method , singularity , rigid body , control theory (sociology) , computer science , mathematical analysis , classical mechanics , physics , geometry , computer network , control (management) , bandwidth (computing) , artificial intelligence
Euler parameters (or unit quaternions) are known to be well‐suited for the singularity‐free description of finite rotations. Despite of this advantageous feature, the majority of rigid body integrators do not rely on Euler parameters. This observation might be closely related to the fact that the four Euler parameters are not independent. Thus the equations of motion in terms of Euler parameters inevitably assume the form of differential‐algebraic equations (DAEs). Since the early investigations dealing with Euler parameters in multibody dynamics, numerical methods for DAEs have improved significantly. Nowadays robust energy consistent integrators are available which exactly reproduce the property of workless constraint forces. The purpose of the present work is to revisit the use of Euler parameters in the light of state‐of‐the‐art integration schemes. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)