Multiport Models in Mechanics

Problems in mechanics involving rigid bodies in large-scale motion in force fields of both conservative and nonconservative types are approached from a multiport viewpoint. A procedure for constructing bond graph models based on key geometric variables and the velocity transformations relating them is described. Contributions of such models to improving the representation and communication of system structure, the formulation of governing state-space equations, and the direct digital simulation of complicated mechanics problems are suggested.