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18 Multibody Systems Approach to Vehicle Dynamics
The origin of MSC.ADAMS can be traced back to a program of research
initiated by Chace at the University of Michigan in 1967. By 1969
Chace (1969, 1970) and Korybalski (Chace and Korybalski, 1970) had
completed the original version of DAMN (Dynamic Analysis of
Mechanical Networks). This was historically the first general program to
solve time histories for systems undergoing large displacement dynamic
motion. This work led in 1971 to a new program DRAM (Dynamic
Response of Articulated Machinery) that was further enhanced by Angel
(Chace and Angel, 1977).
The first program forming the basis of MSC.ADAMS was completed by
Orlandea in 1973 and published in a series of two ASME papers (Orlandea
et al., 1976a, b). This was a development of the earlier two-dimensional
programs to a three-dimensional code but without some of the impact
capability contained in DRAM at that time.
Blundell (1991) describes how the MSC.ADAMS software is used to study
the behaviour of systems consisting of rigid or flexible parts connected by
joints and undergoing large displacement motion and in particular the
application of the software in vehicle dynamics. The paper also lists a number
of other systems based on MSC.ADAMS that had at that time been
developed specifically for automotive vehicle modelling applications.
Several of the larger vehicle manufacturers have at some time integrated
MSC.ADAMS into their own in-house vehicle design systems. Early
examples of these were the AMIGO system at Audi (Hudi, 1988), and
MOGESSA at Volkswagen (Terlinden et al., 1987). The WOODS system
based on user defined worksheets was another system at that time in this
case developed by German consultants for Ford in the UK (Kaminski,
1990). Ford’s global vehicle modelling activities have since focused on
in-house generated linear models and the ADAMS/Chassis (formerly
known as ADAMS/Pre) package, a layer over the top of the standard
MSC.ADAMS pre- and post-processor that is strongly tailored towards
productivity and consistency in vehicle analysis.
Another customized application developed by the automotive industry is
described in Scapaticci et al. (1992). In this paper the authors describe how
MSC.ADAMS has been integrated into a system known as SARAH
(Suspension Analyses Reduced ADAMS Handling). This in-house system
for the automotive industry was developed by the Fiat Research Centre
Handling Group and used a suspension modelling technique that ignored
suspension layout but focused on the final effects of wheel centre trajectory
and orientation.
At Leeds University a vehicle-specific system was developed under the
supervision of Crolla. In this case all the commonly required vehicle
dynamics studies have been embodied in their own set of programs (Crolla
et al., 1994) known as VDAS (Vehicle Dynamics Analysis Software).
Examples of the applications incorporated in this system included
ride/handling, suspensions, natural frequencies, mode shapes, frequency
response and steady state handling diagrams. The system included a range
of models and further new models could be added using a pre-processor.
Crolla et al. (1994) also define two fundamental types of MBS program,
the first of which is that such as MSC.ADAMS where the equations are