research
topics
- benchmark bicycle, the linearized equations of motion for the Carvallo-Whipple bicycle model.
- SPACAR, multibody dynamics software.
- pshacker, a Matlab interface for programming postscript figures.
- TMS bicycle, the two-mass skate bicycle, stable with gyro and trail.
- cycling safety
- sports engineering applications
- bicycle dynamics and control
background
From early childhood on I have been interested in mechanical systems, in particular the dynamic behaviour. Think of clocks, small machines, but also roller skates, scooters, bicycles, mopeds, engines, cars, trains, etc.
During my BSc studes at University of Applied Scienes at Dordrecht, I learned about hard-core mechanics, like metal working, iron casting and forging, welding, and engine dynamics. In the mean time I got interested in theoretical and applied mechanics and computer programmimg.
During my MSc studies at Delft University of Technology I worked on the formulation and implementation of Flexible Multibody Dynamics in computational software. This resulted, among other things, in a computer code SPACAR, a software system for kinematic and dynamic analysis of flexible multibody systems.
I always have been interesting in dynamical systems with rolling contacts, and I developed, already at an early stage in my career, an extension of the analysis of multibody dynamics systems having idealized rolling contact, the so-called non-holonomic systems. I implemented the idealized rolling contact model in the computer code SPACAR.
During my sabbatical stay in 2002/2003 at Cornell University with Andy Ruina I came into contact with bicycle dynamics. The base for this was already laid out by Jim Papadopoulos in the 70’s at Cornell but after Jim left nothing much happened. I picked up the subject and together with Andy Ruina, Jim Papadopoulos and Jaap Meijaard, we wrote on the history of bicycle steer and dynamics equations and the definite benchmark paper on the lateral dynamics of the bicycle.
The last twenty year of my career at Delft University of Technology I worked on applications of the dynamics and control of the bicycle. Where for the last ten years I focused on cycling safety because of the still yearly rise in cycling seriously injured and death. We started an international platform for that, the International Cycling Safety Community by means of yearly conferences. In particular, I focused on the role of the dynamics and control of the mainly lateral unstable bicycle by including the man-in-the-loop.