Joint Reaction Forces in Multibody Systems with Redundant Constraints

Redundant constraints are defined as those constraints which can be removed without changing the kinematics of the mechanism. They are usually eliminated from the mathematical model of a multibody system. For a given mechanism the set of redundant constraints can be chosen in many ways. Rigid body systems with redundant constraints do not have a unique solution to the problem of joint reaction forces calculation. If redundant constraints are present in the mechanical system, then the system is statically undetermined. If in the case of dynamics problem the constraints are consistent, all of them are frictionless and we are interested only in positions, velocities and accelerations of the bodies, then the calculation of joint reaction forces is not necessary. In many cases, however, e.g. when we want to take into account friction in joints, the calculation of joint reaction forces cannot be avoided. In some rigid body systems, despite the redundant constraints existence, reaction forces in selected joints can be uniquely determined. The paper presents three methods of finding the constraints for which reaction forces can be uniquely determined using rigid body model. Three different techniques of Jacobian matrix analysis are used.