INTRODUCTION TO NON-SMOOTH DYNAMICS

Join the event online at the following link: https://politecnicomilano.webex.com/meet/pierangelo.masarati/

In this lecture, Professor Alessandro Tasora illustrates the complexities of nonsmooth dynamics within multibody systems, emphasizing the challenges posed by frictional contact problems.

He explores non-smooth formulations essential for accurately modeling interactions where traditional smooth dynamics fall short, particularly in systems experiencing impacts or stick-slip behaviors.

The lecture covers numerical methods tailored for large-scale complementarity problems, highlighting algorithms that efficiently handle the computational demands of such simulations. Additionally, Professor Tasora discusses strategies for effective collision detection, including both broad-phase and narrow-phase algorithms, and examines their implementation details and computational considerations.

The session also addresses explicit smooth and nonsmooth co-simulation techniques using kinematic constraints, providing insights into their practical applications.

Through a series of examples and benchmarks, attendees gain a comprehensive understanding of how these methods are applied to real-world engineering problems, enhancing the fidelity and efficiency of multibody dynamic simulations.

This lecture is part of the MSc Course "Multibody System Dynamics"

Speaker:

Alessandro Tasora is a Full Professor of Applied Mechanics at the University of Parma, Italy, where he leads the Digital Dynamics Lab.

His research focuses on computational mechanics, with particular expertise in numerical methods for large-scale multibody and finite element problems, non-smooth contact dynamics, and real-time simulation. He is the founder and lead developer of Project Chrono, a widely used open-source multi-physics simulation library.

Professor Tasora has established collaborations with major research institutions, including NASA JPL, Fraunhofer, and Argonne National Labs, and has contributed to projects involving high-performance computing, robotics, and advanced simulation frameworks.

His work spans diverse fields such as tribology, computer graphics, and the mechanics of contact and impact. He is an active member of several professional societies, including the International Association for Computational Mechanics (IACM) and ASME, and serves on editorial boards of journals such as Multibody System Dynamics and Mathematical Problems in Engineering.

In addition to his research, he is deeply engaged in academic training and scientific dissemination, including initiatives like the International Multibody Summer School, co-organized with Professor Pierangelo Masarati.

19.05.2025