MODELING THE COMPLIANCE OF A VARIABLE STIFFNESS C-SHAPED LEG USING CASTIGLIANO'S THEOREM

ÜNLÜ AYDIN Y., Galloway K. C., YAZICIOĞLU Y., Koditschek D. E.

ASME Internationl Design Engineering Technical Conferences / Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Montreal, Canada, 15 - 18 August 2010, pp.705-713 identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
  • City: Montreal
  • Country: Canada
  • Page Numbers: pp.705-713
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This paper discusses the application of Castigliano's Theorem to a half circular beam intended for use as a shaped, tunable, passively compliant robot leg. We present closed-form equations characterizing the deflection behavior of the beam (whose compliance properties vary along the leg) under appropriate loads. We compare the accuracy of this analytical representation to that of a Pseudo Rigid Body (PRB) approximation in predicting the data obtained by measuring the deflection of a physical half-circular beam under the application of known static loads. We briefly discuss the further application of the new model for solving the dynamic equations of a hexapod robot with a C-shaped leg.