ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the modeling techniques for mechanical systems in either translational or rotational motion, or both. It begins with an introduction of mechanical elements, including mass elements, spring elements, and damper elements. The chapter reviews Newton’s second law and apply it to translational systems. For rotational systems, moment equations are used to obtain dynamic models. For systems involving both translational and rotational motions, equations of motion can be derived using the force/moment approach, based on Newtonian mechanics, or the energy method, based on analytical mechanics. A mathematical model of a mechanical system can be constructed based on physical laws that the elements and their interconnections must obey. Elements can be broadly divided into three classes according to whether element forces are proportional to accelerations, proportional to displacements, or proportional to velocities.
