Product Description

Planar Multibody Dynamics: Formulation, Programming, and Applications presents analytical concepts, computational issues, and programming techniques for analyzing mechanical systems. Using clear and accessible language, this book demonstrates how simple methodologies can be applied to complex systems. It provides complete computer programs for analysis as well as Web access for updates. Detailed discussions address numerical and computational issues. The author uses MATLAB^® throughout the text, from the fundamental aspects to more advanced features. The combination of analytical principles and application examples makes this book a unique resource for students and practicing engineers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1367473 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 464 pages

From the Back Cover
The advent of computers and computational tools has changed the nature of engineering design and consequently, the nature of engineering design education. Written by Parviz Nikravesh, one of the world's best known experts in multibody dynamics, Planar Multibody Dynamics: Formulation, Programming, and Applications enhances the quality and ease of design education with extensive use of the latest computerized design tools combined with coverage of classical design and dynamics of machinery principles.

Using language that is clear, concise, and to the point, the textbook introduces fundamental theories, computational methods, and program development for analyzing simple to complex planar mechanical systems. The book covers a variety of methods for formulating the kinematic and dynamic equations of motion. The methodologies for deriving the equations of motion, even for complex systems, are all based on Newton's laws of motion. The author chose MATLAB® as the programming language, and since students may not be skilled programmers, the examples and exercises provide a tutorial for learning MATLAB. The examples begin with basic commands before introducing students to more advanced programming techniques. The routines developed in each chapter eventually come together to form complete programs for different types of analysis.

Pedagogical highlights
Contains homework problems at the end of each chapter, some of which require standard pencil-and-paper solution in order to understand the concept and others require either programming or the use of existing programs.

Electronic highlights
All the programs that are listed in the book, and some additional programs, will be available for download and will be updated periodically by the author. Additional materials for instructors, such as a solutions manual and other teaching aids, will also be available on the website.

The author organizes the analytical and computational subjects around practical application examples. He uses several examples repeatedly, in various chapters, providing students with a basis for comparison between different formulations. The final chapter describes more extensive modeling and simulation projects. This format allows you to select various chapters from the book for a junior or senior level undergraduate course, or use the entire book as an introductory course on analytical and computational mechanics at the graduate level. Designed specifically for undergraduates, the book is suitable as a primary text for a course on mechanisms or a supplementary text for a course on dynamics.

About the Author
University of Arizona, Tucson, USA