On the implementation of object-oriented philosophy for the design of a finite element code dedicated to multibody systems

The principal objective of this paper is to describe one approach to the design and implementation of a multibody systems analysis code using an object-oriented architecture. Emphasis will be placed on the adequacy between object-oriented programming and the finite element method used for the treatment of three-dimensional multibody flexible mechanisms with large rotations and large strains, within a given formalism and given hypotheses. We will show that the object-oriented programming greatly simplifies the choice and the implementation of other formalisms concerning polyarticulated systems, thus conferring high flexibility and adaptability to the developed software.