1. Introduction,- 1.1
General Issues in Contact Problems.- 1.2 Methods Dealing with
Contact-Impact Events.- 1.3 Contact-Impact Problems in Biomechanical
Systems.- 1.4 Generality of Contact Force Models for Multibody
Dynamics.- References.- 2. Pure Elastic Contact Force Models.- 2.1 Generalized
Contact Kinematics.- 2.2 Linear Hooke Contact Model.-
2.3 Nonlinear Hertz Contact Model.- 2.4 Other Elastic Contact
Models.- References.- 3. Dissipative Contact Force Models.- 3.1 Linear
Kelvin-Voigt Contact Model.- 3.2 Nonlinear Hunt and Crossley Contact
Model.- 3.3 Nonlinear Lankarani and Nikravesh Contact
Model.- 3.4 Nonlinear Flores et al. Contact Model.- 3.5 Other
Dissipative Contact Force Models.- References.- 4. Multibody Systems
Formulation.- 4.1 Multibody System Roots and
Concept.- 4.2 Coordinate Systems for Multibody Systems
Formulation.- 4.3 Kinematic Constraint Equations and Kinematic
Analysis.- 4.4 Equations of Motion for Constrained Multibody
Systems.- 4.5 Inclusion of Contact Forces in Dynamics Equations.-
References.- 5. Numerical Methods in Multibody Systems.- 5.1
Algorithms for Dynamic Analysis of Multibody Systems.- 5.2 Constraints
Stabilization Method.- 5.3 Numerical Integration Algorithms.- 5.4 Systems
of Linear Equations.- 5.5 Systems of Nonlinear Equations.- References.- 6. Demonstrative
Examples of Application.- 6.1 Bouncing Ball.- 6.2 Double
Pendulum.- 6.3 Slider-Crank Mechanism.- 6.4 Human Knee
Model.- 6.5 Biomechanical Foot Model.- 6.6 Comparative Study of
Various Contact Force Models.- References.

This book analyzes several
compliant contact force models within the context of multibody dynamics, while
also revisiting the main issues associated with fundamental contact mechanics.
In particular, it presents various contact force models, from linear to
nonlinear, from purely elastic to dissipative, and describes their parameters.
Addressing the different numerical methods and algorithms for contact problems
in multibody systems, the book describes the gross motion of multibody systems
by using a two-dimensional formulation based on the absolute coordinates and
employs different contact models to represent contact-impact events. Results
for selected planar multibody mechanical systems are presented and utilized to
discuss the main assumptions and procedures adopted throughout this work. The
material provided here indicates that the prediction of the dynamic behavior of
mechanical systems involving contact-impact strongly depends on the choice of
contact force model. In short, the book provides a comprehensive resource for
the multibody dynamics community and beyond on modeling contact forces and the
dynamics of mechanical systems undergoing contact-impact events.