Flexible multibody dynamic simulation using optimal lumped inertia matrices Original Research Article

A method for dynamic simulation of multibody systems that include large-scale finite element models of flexible bodies is presented. By lumping inertia at a subset of finite element nodes, using an optimal inertia lumping technique, multibody dynamic simulation is performed efficiently and with adequate accuracy. Two numerical examples involving medium and large scale flexible vehicle chassis models are presented to validate the method.