A floating frame of reference approach to study fracture in flexible multibody systems using peridynamics

A floating frame of reference approach to study fracture in flexible multibody systems using peridynamics | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A floating frame of reference approach to study fracture in flexible multibody systems using peridynamics João Pagaimo, Francisco Vieira, Aurélio Araújo, Jorge Ambrósio This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7817742/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Multibody dynamic (MBD) analysis enables the study of mechanical systems with bodies undergoing large displacements and rotations, connected by joints and force elements. These bodies often interact with their environment and operate over long time frames. A previous study proposed integrating peridynamics (PD) into MBD to model structural deformations, including nonlinear behaviour like crack initiation and propagation. However, the high computational cost of that formulation limited its application to realistic materials and long simulations. This work introduces two new formulations to address the computational challenges arising from the contrasting time scales of rigid and flexible motions. Both approaches are based on a floating frame of reference (FFR), allowing the separation of rigid body motion from flexible deformation. When deformations are small, component mode synthesis (CMS) reduces the model order and limits high frequencies, enabling larger time steps while maintaining accuracy and stability. For nonlinear deformations or fracture, a full FFR without order reduction is used. Numerical examples of a slider-crank system compare the new approaches with the previous one, showing significant efficiency improvements. A landing gear model further demonstrates their potential in realistic applications. These developments lay the groundwork to explore fracture prediction in mechanical systems. Peridynamics flexible multibody dynamics floating frame of reference component mode synthesis crack propagation Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7817742","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":532147834,"identity":"1d2e041c-0511-4ee4-8182-c449a5883f60","order_by":0,"name":"João 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These bodies often interact with their environment and operate over long time frames. A previous study proposed integrating peridynamics (PD) into MBD to model structural deformations, including nonlinear behaviour like crack initiation and propagation. However, the high computational cost of that formulation limited its application to realistic materials and long simulations. This work introduces two new formulations to address the computational challenges arising from the contrasting time scales of rigid and flexible motions. Both approaches are based on a floating frame of reference (FFR), allowing the separation of rigid body motion from flexible deformation. When deformations are small, component mode synthesis (CMS) reduces the model order and limits high frequencies, enabling larger time steps while maintaining accuracy and stability. For nonlinear deformations or fracture, a full FFR without order reduction is used. 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