A dynamical approach to space capturing procedure using flexible cables

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an accurate dynamic model for the flexible cable capture mechanism and to analyze the dynamic characteristics in the capturing process.

Design/methodology/approach

The absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) that based on the continuum mechanics approach is applied in the capture task using flexible cables. An ANCF cable element in which axial and bending strain energy are taken into account is presented to model the flexible cables. The generalized coordinates of ANCF are absolute displacements and slopes and make no small deformation assumptions; therefore, this element has a remarkable superiority in the large rotation and deformation analysis of flexible cables compared to the conventional floating frame of reference formulation (FFRF). The mass matrix of the cable element is constant, which will reduce the degree of non-linearity of the dynamic equations. The contact force between the steel cables and capture rod is calculated by the non-linear contact dynamic model, in which material and geometry properties of contact bodies are considered.

Findings

The stress distribution of steel cables is investigated in the numerical studies which show that the closer to the ends of the cable, the larger axial forces and smaller bending moments they will be. The reduction of grasping velocity will lead to a decrease in the contact force and the oversize peak value of contact force is more likely to be avoided when reducing the elastic modulus of steel cables to obtain a greater soft capture capability.

Practical implications

The work shows a practical possibility to improve modeling accuracy of the capture mechanism. Results of the analyses can provide references for the design and analysis of the capture task.

Originality/value

The ANCF is first used in the analysis of the capture task with flexible cables, and some useful results which have not been published before are obtained.

Citation

Zhang, Y., Wei, C., Pan, D. and Zhao, Y. (2016), "A dynamical approach to space capturing procedure using flexible cables", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 88 No. 1, pp. 53-65. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-07-2014-0107