Nonlinear Dynamics and Modeling of Various Wooden Toys with Impact and Friction

Abstract

In this paper, we study bifurcations in systems with impact and friction, modeled with a rigid multibody approach. Knowledge from the field of nonlinear dynamics is therefore combined with theory from the field of non-smooth mechanics. We study the nonlinear dynamics of three commercial wooden toys. The toys show complex dynamical behavior but can be studied with one-dimensional maps, which allows for a thorough analysis of the bifurcations.