Comparison of Mixed Linear Complementarity Problem Solvers for Multibody Simulations with Contact

Abstract

The trade-off between accuracy and computational performance is one of the central conflicts in real-time multibody simulations, much of which can be attributed to the method used to solve the constrained multibody equations. This paper examines four mixed linear complementarity problem (MLCP) algorithms when they are applied to physical problems involving frictional contact. We consider several different, and challenging, test cases such as grasping, stability of static models, closed loops, and long chains of bodies. The solver parameters are tuned for these simulations and the results are evaluated in terms of numerical accuracy and computational performance. The objective of this paper is to determine the accuracy properties of each solver, find the appropriate method for a defined task, and thus draw conclusions regarding the applicability of each method.