Dynamic Analysis of a Vehicular-mounted Automatic Weapon–Planar Case

Abstract

This study analyses the dynamic behaviour of a machine gun mounted on a four-wheeled vehicle. The entire system comprises three parts: the gun, the flexible monopod, and the vehicle. The weapon has a multirigid- body mechanism and comprises a rigid receiver, a rigid bolt, a bullet, a buffer, and a recoil spring. The vehicle model features a rigid vehicle body, suspension springs, shock absorbers, and wheels. The finite element method is used to model the flexible monopod connecting the gun and the vehicle. This study combines a computer-aided analysis of rigid-body mechanisms with finite element analysis of a flexible structure to derive the total equations of motion, incorporating the Lagrange multiplier. The total equations of motion are solved with numerical integration to simulate the transient response of the whole system. This approach can easily resolve the problem of rigid-flexible coupling effect, and promote the function of the whole system in the engineering design phase.

Defence Science Journal, 2009, 59(3), pp.265-272, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.59.1520