A computational bow-spring model

Bow-springs find few applications in industry. Principally, they are used in archery. In addition, they have found some use in a compression-spring mode in the field of biomechatronics, to emulate elastic human legs. The mechanical behavior (characterized by deflected shape and deformation force) is difficult to model, because internal forces and moments and the geometry are both unknown. The only closed-form solutions to such systems are relatively useless to a mechanical engineer. This work comprises an iterative model developed in MATLAB that computes the mechanical behavior of buckled beam (or bow-spring) sections, over a range of parameters and geometries, to be used in the development and testing of compression bow-springs as parallel loading systems to the human leg.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Sessions, Blake A

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hugh Herr.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/65303

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/65303