  A framework for performing event-driven, adaptive time step simulations of
systems of rigid bodies interacting under stepped or terraced potentials in
which the potential energy is only allowed to have discrete values is outlined.
The scheme is based on a discretization of an underlying continuous potential
that effectively determines the times at which interaction energies change. As
in most event-driven approaches, the method consists of specifying a means of
computing the free motion, evaluating the times at which interactions occur,
and determining the consequences of interactions on subsequent motion for the
terraced-potential. The latter two aspects are shown to be simply expressible
in terms of the underlying smooth potential. Within this context, algorithms
for computing the times of interaction events and carrying out efficient
event-driven simulations are discussed. The method is illustrated on system
composed of rigid rods in which the constituents interact via a terraced
potential that depends on the relative orientations of the rods.
