The requirements for accurate and efficient analysis tools for design of large and lightweight mechanical systems has driven a strong interest in the challenging problem of multibody dynamics. This volume addresses some basic formulations, methodologies and computational aspects of the dynamics of multibody systems, including major applications. The scope of applications is extended to vehicle dynamics, aerospace technology, robotics, mechanisms design, intermittent motion and crashworthiness analysis. The applied scope of the book should help the advanced design engineers and researchers to appraise the different approaches available today and their use and suitability as efficient design tools for different classes of problems and practical applications in the general field of multibody dynamics. This book contains the edited version of selected papers presented at the NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Computer Aided Analysis of Rigid and Flexible Mechanical Systems", held in Portugal, from 27 June to 9 July, 1993.
It can be viewed as a natural extension of the material addressed in the Institute which was published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in the NATO ASIE Series, Volume 268, 1994.