Study of structural analysis by large scale parallel multibody dynamic simulation

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the capabilities of distributed-parallel computing methods to model previously intractable multi-body dynamic systems, and apply them to structural analysis. Generally, structural analysis is conducted using finite difference-derived methods. The matrix which is formulated in out multi-body dynamic analysis is called an extended inertia matrix, and models the dynamic features of multi-body systems. It is different from the FEM stiffness matrix. Authors simulate details of complex structural systems using our multi-body dynamics program which is implemented using a distributed-parallel computer. The simulated target is divided by the analysis into many elements that correspond to each rigid body and the bodies are connected by joints, as with FEM. The authors propose hinge models for structural analysis. They also compare the structural simulation results by multi-body dynamic analysis and FEM simulation. This paper is an introduction to this study.