This volume constitutes an advanced introduction to the field of analysis, modeling and numerical simulation of rigid body mechanical systems with unilateral constraints. The topics include Moreau's sweeping process, the numerical analysis of nonsmooth multibody systems with friction, the study of energetical restitution coefficients for elasto-plastic models, the study of stability and bifurcation in systems with impacts, and the development of a multiple impact rule for Newton's cradle and the simple rocking model. Combining pedagogical aspects with innovative approaches, this book will not only be of interest to researchers working actively in the field, but also to graduate students wishing to get acquainted with this field of research through lectures written at a level also accessible to nonspecialists. An Introduction to Moreau's Sweeping Process.- Dynamic Simulation of Rigid Bodies: Modelling of Frictional Contact.- Stability of Periodic Motions with Impacts.- Contact Problems for Elasto-Plastic Impact in Multi-Body Systems.- Impulse Correlation Ratio in Solving Multiple Impact Problems.
"The book presents and excellent survey on advanced methods required for the understanding of the complexity of impacts in mechanical systems and presents analytical and numerical methods verified by experimental results for the efficient solution of engineering problems. The book is recommended to graduate and postgraduate students, researchers in mechanical engineering, and scientists who are interested in established methods and new ideas for non-smooth dynamical systems." (ZAMM-Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik, Applied Mathematics and Mechanics 2005, vol.85, page 223)
