Dynamics of Systems of Rigid Bodies

1 Mathematical Notation.- 2 Rigid Body Kinematics.- 2.1 Generalized coordinates for the angular orientation of a rigid body.- 2.2 The notion of angular velocity.- 2.3 Relationships between the angular velocity of a body and generalized coordinates describing the angular orientation of the body.- 3 Basic Principles of Rigid Body Dynamics.- 3.1 Kinetic energy.- 3.2 Angular momentum.- 3.3 Properties of moments and products of inertia.- 3.4 The law of moment of momentum.- 3.5 D'Alembert's principle applied to a rigid body.- 4 Classical Problems of Rigid Body Mechanics.- 4.1 The unsymmetric torque-free rigid body.- 4.2 The symmetric torque-free rigid body.- 4.3 The self-excited, symmetric rigid body.- 4.4 The symmetric heavy top.- 4.5 The symmetric heavy body in a cardan suspension.- 4.6 The gyrostat. General considerations.- 4.7 The torque-free gyrostat.- 5 General Multi-Body Systems.- 5.1 Introductory remarks.- 5.2 Equations of motion for systems with tree structure.- 5.3 Multi-body systems with closed chains and with arbitrary constraints.- 5.4 Concluding remarks.- 6 Impact Problems in Holonomic Multi-Body Systems.- 6.1 Basic assumptions.- 6.2 Instantaneous velocity increments.- 6.3 An analogy to the law of Maxwell and Betti.- 6.4 Internal impulses and impulse couples in hinges.- Answers to Problems.- Literature References.