Dynamics of planar rocking-blocks with Coulomb friction and unilateral constraints: comparisons between experimental and numerical data

Hongjian Zhang (1) , Bernard Brogliato (2) , Caishan Liu (1)

1 State Key Lab - State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems
2 BIPOP - Modelling, Simulation, Control and Optimization of Non-Smooth Dynamical Systems

This paper concerns the dynamics of planar rocking blocks, which are mechanical systems subject to two unilateral constraints with friction. A recently introduced multiple impact law that incorporates Coulomb friction is validated through comparisons between numerical simulations and experimental data obtained elsewhere by other authors. They concern the free-rocking motion with no base excitation, and motions with various base ex-citations for the study of the onset of rocking and of the overturning phenomenon. The comparisons made for free-rocking and for the onset of rocking demonstrate that the proposed impact model allows one to correctly predict the block motions. Especially the free-rocking experiments can be used to fit the impact law parameters (restitution and friction coefficients , block width). The free-rocking fitted parameters are then used in the excited-base cases.

Mots clés: Coulomb friction; Multiple impacts; Rocking block; Overturning; Onset of rocking; Free-rocking

Domaines: Mécanique des structures [physics.class-ph]

Hongjian Zhang, Bernard Brogliato, Caishan Liu. Dynamics of planar rocking-blocks with Coulomb friction and unilateral constraints: comparisons between experimental and numerical data. Multibody System Dynamics, 2014, 32 (1), pp.1-25. ⟨10.1007/s11044-013-9356-9⟩. ⟨hal-01629038v2⟩