Closed-Form Solutions for the Equations of Motion of the Heavy Symmetrical Top with One Point Fixed

Hector Laos

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The equations of motion (EOM) for the heavy symmetrical top with one point fixed are highly nonlinear. The literature describes the numerical methods that are used to resolve this classical system, including modern tools, such as the Runge−Kutta fourth−order method. Finding the derivate of closed-form solutions for the EOM is more difficult and, as mentioned in the literature, discovering the solution is not always possible for all the EOM. Fortunately, a few examples are available that serve as a guide to move further in this topic. The purpose of this paper is to find a methodology that will produce the solutions for a given subset of EOMs that fulfill certain requisites. This paper summarizes the literature available on this topic and then follows with the derivation of the EOM using the Euler−Lagrange method. The Routhian method will be used to reduce the size of the expression, and it continues with the formulation of the classical cubic function, f(u), through a novel process. The roots of f(u) are of the utmost importance in finding the EOM closed-form solution, and once the final roots are selected, the general method that will produce the closed-form solutions is presented. Two sets of examples are included to show the validity of the process, and comparisons of the results from the closed-form solutions vs. the numerical results for these examples are shown.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSpecial Topics in Structural Dynamics and Experimental Techniques, Volume 5 - Proceedings of the 39th IMAC, A Conference and Exposition on Structural Dynamics, 2021
EditorsDavid S. Epp
PublisherSpringer
Pages29-38
Number of pages10
ISBN (Print)9783030759131
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022
Event39th IMAC, A Conference and Exposition on Structural Dynamics, 2021 - Virtual, Online
Duration: Feb 8 2021Feb 11 2021

Publication series

NameConference Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Mechanics Series
ISSN (Print)2191-5644
ISSN (Electronic)2191-5652

Conference

Conference39th IMAC, A Conference and Exposition on Structural Dynamics, 2021
CityVirtual, Online
Period02/8/2102/11/21

Funding

This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http:// energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).

FundersFunder number
U.S. Department of Energy

    Keywords

    • Closed-form solutions
    • Cubic polynomial f(u)
    • Equations of motion
    • Gyroscopes
    • Routhian

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