Lie Algebraic Control for the Stabilization of Nonlinear Multibody System Dynamics Simulation

It is well known that when equations of motion are formulated using Lagrange multipliers for multibody dynamic systems, one obtains a redundant set of differential algebraic equations. Numerical integration of these equations can lead to numerical difficulties associated with constraint violation drift. One approach that has been explored to alleviate this difficulty has been contraint stabilization methods. In this paper, a family of stabilization methods are considered as partial feedback linearizing controllers. Several stabilization methods including the range space method, null space method, Baumgarte's method, and the damping and stiffness penalty methods are examined. Each can be construed as a particular partial feedback linearizing controller. The paper closes by comparing several of these constraint stabilization methods to another method suggested by construction: the variable structure sliding (VSS) control. The VSS method is found to be the most efficient, stable, and robust in the presence of singularities.