On Constrained Motion

Author(s): Peter Field

Source: American Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 36, No. 1 (Jan., 1914), pp. 21-30
Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2370515
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 On Constrained Motion.
BY PETER FIELD.

Introduction.

The traditional problem in the mechanics of a particle supposes given a

system of particles with a certain number of degrees of freedom and a system
of forces; the solution of the problem consists in determining the motion of
each particle. Lagrange's equations enable us to do this provided it is possible
to overcome the difficulties incident to the integration of the equations of motion.
Painleve' has shown that in discussing problems of this kind, if we assume
Coulomb's la-vs of friction to hold true, we must proceed with caution, as the
supposition that motion takes place may lead either to conditions which are
incompatible or to the possibility of more than one solution.t In some of the
problems discussed by Painleve, our interest is not primarily in the whole
history of the subsequent motion but rather in knowing how many values of
the acceleration are possible at the given moment with the given initial condi-
tions. This is the point of view which is adopted in this paper.
Efforts have been made to dispose of the cases where more than one motion
is possible by taking account of the elasticity of the material and also by sup-
posing that it must be possible for the frictional force to increase from zero
up to its maximum value,? but the fact nevertheless remains that when we sup-
pose that we are dealing with a rigid system and suppose the frictional force
at any point is proportional to the normal pressure at that point, and make no
additional assumptions, we are led to cases where thlere may be more than one
solution.?

* " Legons sur le frottement."

t See my paper on Coulomb's laws of friction, Zeit8ehrif t fur Mathernatik und Phy8ik, Vol. LXI, p. 68
t See Lecornu, Comptes rendus, Vol. CXL (1905), p. 635, and De Sparre, Vol. CXLI (1905), p. 310
also Zeitschrift fur Mathematik und Physik, Vol. LVIII (1910), articles by Klein, Mises, Hamel, Prandtl,
Pfeiffer.
? See Appell, TraitM de mneoanique rationnelle, Vol. II, p. 127, 3d edition.

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 22 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.

Statement of the Problem.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate what conditions mlust be satis-

fied in order that the supposition that motion takes place may lead to condi-
tions which are compatible, when there are no external forces and we have two

particles m1 and m2 connected by a weightless rod of length I and one

are constrained. The different cases may be tabulated as follows: *

(a) rn1 is constrained to a surface and m2 is free,

(b) m1 is constrained to a curve and m2 is free,

(c) m1 andm2 are both constrained to surfaces,

(d) m1 is constrained to a surface, m2 to a curve,

(e) ml and qn2 are both constrained to curves.

The data are chosen as follows: The particle of mass m1 is at P1 (Fig. 1)

and the second particle is at P2. The velocities of m1 and m2 are u1 and u2.

7~~~~~

FIG. 1.

The projections of these velocities along I and at right angles to I are (v, v1),

(v, v2) respectively, the projections along I being equal as P P2 is of constant

* Some special cases have been studied by Painleve and others. A study of the case where the two
particles are constrained to parallel plane curves will appear in one of the forthcoming numbers of the
Zeitschrift filr Mathemcatik und Physik.

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 FIELD: On Constratned Motion. 23

length. The angle between v1 and v2 will be called 0. In case the particles
are constrained to curves, Pi and P2 are the radii of curvature of the p
while if the particles are constrained to surfaces, pi and p2 are the radii of c
ature of the plane sections determined by the velocity and the normal to the

surface. The coefficients of friction will be denoted by , and Y2.

The angles 01 and 02 shown in Fig. 1 can be expressed in terms of v, v1,

v2; but qp and c2, also shown in the figure, are independent of the precedi
parameters. We therefore have the following thirteen independent param-

eters: 1, M2, Y19 i2 , 1 V, V1, V2, V2P, cp2, 0, pl Y P2. The tension in the r
called T.

Case (a): m1 is Constrained to a Surface and m2 is Free.

2 d
The projections of the acceleration
Td

direction of u,, and T (1-cos2 cp,-cos2 01)I along a line perpendicular to ul and

pl (Fig. 2).

FIG. 2.

In order to get the value of j, it is necessary to find the pressure against

the surface. This pressure is

I- V? V +T cos P1i I,

and we have at once the equation

+-Vin A +?T cos +p I +?T cos 01 .

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24 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.

The acceleration of mn2 is directed along P1P2 and is equal to- ' Now

as the distance between tho two particles is constant, the projections of their
accelerations along P1P2 differ by

21
c) = 2v1v2
_ COSI 0
,

a being the angular velocity of I and consequently equal to the geometric sum
of v1 andd-v2 divided by 1.

?V A 7'

FIG. 3.

In case motion is possible we must therefore be able to determine T so as

to satisfy the equation
fJT 2 2T
T-co2 01-yz CO m COS T --I j+4co qG ? + -(1-cos21- COS201)

vI + V2 2vv cos 0 T

This equation may be rendered a trifle more compact by substitut

v2?i4-2v12cs0 2
f or + 2 2v1V2 COS 0 and 1u. It can then be

(S 'l + _)+ k2 cos 01-k2= y cos 01

This condition is easily interpreted geometrically. In Fig. 3 the values of

y= Sin2 4 + 1-)+k 2COS ,-k2

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 FIELD: On Constrained Motion. 25

are represented by points on a straight line, while the values of

Y2-l cos0 I -Cos 2

are represented by points on a broken line which will lie above or below the T
axis according as 01 is acute or obtuse. The values of T at the points C and D
satisfy the conditions of our problem. If the data were so chosen that A co-

incided with B and the slopes of yi and one segment of the broken
equal, we should have an infinite number of solutions. If 01 is acute and A
lies to the left of B, there will be but one solution if the slope of the line Yi is
greater than the slope of the broken line; while if A lies to the right of B and
the slope of Yi is less than the slope of the broken line, our equation has no
solution. The problem may therefore have 0, 1, 2, or an infinite number of
solutions depending on how the data are chosen.

Case (b): m1 is Constrained to a Curve and mt2 is Free.

The acceleration of ml lies in the osculating plane of the twisted curve to

which mn1 is constrained. The component along the radius of curvature has the
same value as in case (a), but the value of jA is different, as the pressure
2

against the curve is now the geometric sum of -in1 P and the projection of T

on the normal plane to the curve at P1. This pressure (Fig. 2) is equal to

2 ~~~~u4
T2 sin2 01-2Tm1- COS 1? + m12 I

Therefore

j--CoOS-1 0sin0 -2 -Cosf1 2.

in1 m m1 PiP
If we now write the condition that the pr
T
along the rod is equal to - - +I2 and use the same notation as in (a), we
have

T Cos l +-+k2 cos p-k2 cos 0142 2sin2 0 -2T k2 cos p,p+k'
as the condition which T' must satisfy.
The possible number of solutions is the same as in case (a) ; i. e., it may
be 0, 1, 2, or an infinite number. Instead of having the points of intersection
4

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26 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.

of a straight line and a broken line as in Fig. 3, we now have a straight line
and an arc of an hyperbola. In order to have an infinite number of solutions
it is necessary that the hyperbola degenerate. In that case cos q,= ? sin
which means that the radius of curvature lies in the plane of the connecting
rod and the direction of the velocity of in. This condition alone is of course
not sufficient to give an infinite number of solutions. In addition two condi-
tions corresponding to those of case (a) must be satisfied.
There is no difficulty in satisfying these conditions. For instance take
cos pN= sin 01 and suppose 01 acute. The other two conditions are

m k 2_ k2- k2 sin 0
sin 01 cos2 01 1
m%1 qin2
cos2 0 c .+
1 Il cosI01 sin 01
m1 m2 m

The first might be regarded as an equation to determine k2 and the second as

an equation which determines It,.

FIG. 4.

Case (c): ml and rm2 are Both Constrained to Surfaces.

According to (a) the projection of the acceleration of m1 along PlP, is
,77 ~~~T
Tsin2 2 cos q1l_ltcos
Im1
As the projection of the acceleration of mn2 along this line has the same form

provided we replace T by -T, 01 by 02 , 1p by 02, and k, by 2 = k2 the equatio

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 FIELD: On Constrained Motion. 27

which determines T may be written

T(sinz 1 + sin cosk2 COS 1-k2 COS q2-k2

Sin2~ ~~~~ 81 CO2,|CS+-l|8 OS0 f O 2+2

m i osn 2n
or Y=Yl Y2* It is no restriction to suppose the angles 01 and 02 acute. The
values of

T 1+ Y ,k' cos 0p - cos p1-k2J---u2cos02J -cos q2?k2

will then lie on a broken lin

The desired values of ' are found as the values of 2 at the points of
intersection of the broken line with the line

l+ inO ) ? k COS q1-k 2 COS 02-k2

This gives rise to 0, 1, 2,1O in2

3, or an 2number
infinite T2 of solutions, depending on
how the values of the constants are chosen. Some of the constants, as y1 y2
ink, in2, ka, k22, k2, are from their nature positive, but even with this restriction
cases with the different numbers of solutions are readily constructed.

As an illustration let us build a case with an infinite number of solutions

We might take the vertices of the broken lines at the same point and have the
line

y=T(sin1M + sin2 (2) +k2l cos f- cos q2-k2

common vertex of Yi and Y2 (F3ig. 5). This can readily be accomnplished by

taking
m=m2=1, cos q2=- COS t

y2cos 02 cos q1+2 sin2 q1

-1 1 2 COS 21cs 01 COS OS

k2 2k2Ycos C Spin2q_ 2k2

COS cp1 COS m

T h and k2 being positive, we add the further restrictions that 0l, 02, qh are a

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28 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.

Case (d): m, is Constrained to a Surface and

From (a) and (b) the projection of the acceleratio

Sin2 (P T 72
T + k' cos p cos 01 C cos +1Vk

when aml is constrained to a surface and

Cos2 01 2 _72 2_ coT

Tc C + COS Cos 0 2 sin210--2 k cos T,+kl

when constrained to a curve. If m2 iS constrained to a curve, the value of the

projection of its acceleration along the rod is obtained from the corresponding.

FIG. 5.

expression for ml by replacing T by -T and making the subscripts 2 in pl

of 1. From this it follows at once that when ml is constrained to a surface
and m2 to a curve, the stress in the rod miust satisfy the equation

T( sil c 2 +k2 cos -kcos 2 2-k2

=y]i COS 01ICT Cos 01-k2 CoOS Rsin2 2+2

or more briefly, Y Yr1I2

Suppose the angles 01 and 02 are.obtuse; the values of Y1 Y2 corresponding

to the different values of T will then lie on two ares of hyperbolas as illus-

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 FIELD: On Constrained Motion. 29

trated in Fig. 6. The values of T which satisfy our problem are found as the
values of T at the points where the curve Y1 _Y2 is cut by the line

Tsin2 (m1 + COS2 0)2k2 cos 21-k2 cos 2-k2.

It is easily shown that there are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or an infinite number of solutions

depending on how the data of the problem are chosen.

2-~~~~~

FIG. 6.

Case (e): m1 and m2 are Both Constrained to Curves.

By making use of the results already derived we have at once the equa-
tion for T; viz.,

T COS2 19+ Cos2 02 + k 2 cos pl 2 cos -k2

IT2. I
-=t1 cos 01 T sin2 01-2 T k2- cos +1-k4

IT2 T
-2cos O2 \fi;s12 02+2
or Y - Y1Y2*

The values of Y1iY2 corresponding to different values of T will lie

arc of a quartic curve, and we have 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or an infinite number o
tions for our problem, just as in case (d).

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30 FIELD: On Constrained Motion.

An Elastic Connecting Rod.

Although the case where the connecting rod is elastic does not come with-
in the scope of this' paper, as we are dealing with a rigid system, it may be
worth mentioninag that it is at once apparent that when the rod is supposed

elastic, the stress can have but one value, which is determined by the strain, and
consequently the accelerations at P1 and P2 have but a single value.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN.

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