OSE800: Analytical and Computational

Dynamics (Spring, 2013)

Lecture 3: DAlemberts Principle

In this lecture we will learn:

DAlemberts Principle

The concept of virtual displacements

Why the reactions do disappear in the final equations of motions

How we can recover reaction forces (and moments, if any) from the Free-Body Diagrams, if needed.

3.1

DAlemberts contributions to mechanics

DAlemberts own words: The principle of equilibrium, together

with the principle of the force of inertia, and the principle of
compound motion, therefore leads us to the solution of all problems which concern the motion of body in so far as it can be
stopped by an impenetrable and immovable obstacle that is,
in general, by another body to which it must necessarily impart
motion in order to keep at least a part of its own. From these
(three) principle together can easily be deduced the laws of the
motion of bodies that collide in any manner whatever, or which
affect each other by means of some body placed between them
and to which they are attached.
1

Fig. 1. Traite de Dynamique (par Jean DAlembert), Preleminaire

(page XV))

On the force of inertia: the property of bodies of remaining in

their state of rest or motion.
On time: The nature of time is to run uniformly, and mechanics
supposes this uniformity.
On equilibrium: Lagrange said, DAlembert had reduced dynamics to statics by means of his principle.
On the center of oscillation: the concept of equilibrium in dynamical systems embodied in DAlemberts principle subsumed the
work of Jacques Bernoulli (1654-1705), Jacob Herman (16781733) and Leonhard Euler(1707-1783).
On the laws of impact: the velocity of two bodies after impact
given by
v=

mu + M U
m+M

: The principle of momentum conservation!

(3.1)

On DAlemberts paradox: For incompressible and inviscid potentia lflow, the drag force is zero on a body moving with a constant velocity relative to the fluid (due to neglect of the effects of
viscosity!).
Finally, he derived the wave equation while working on the vibration of musical instruments.
2

3.2

DAlemberts Principle

Principle of Virtual Work for Statics

For statics, we have:

N
X

f i ri = 0

(3.2)

i=1

where {f i } are impressed forces, and

{} designates the virtual character of the instantaneous variations, as opposed to the differential symbol {d} designating the
actual differential of the position vector {ri } taking place during
the time interval {dt}.

Principle of Virtual Work for Dynamics

For dynamics a la dAlembert:

N
X

(Fi miri ) ri = 0

(3.3)

i=1

where {ri } is the acceleration of particle mi .

Generalized Coordinates
Virtual displacements ri may be expressed in terms of the generalized virtual displacements qk (k = 1, 2, 3, ..., n):
ri =

n
X

ri
qk , i = 1, 2, 3, ..., N
k=1 qk

(3.4)

Lets consider the following example:

r = xi + yj + L(cos i + sin j)
3

(3.5)

Fig. 2. A Spring-Mass System

Observe that there are three independent variables, (x, y, ),

yielding the following virtual displacement:

r =

r
r
r
x +
y +
x
y

(3.6)

= xi + yj + L( sin i + cos j)
Note that the dimensional unit of (x, y) is in meter(m) whereas
that of is in radian (non-dimensional quantity), suggesting that
the units of generalized coordinates can be different.

3.3

A Spring-Mass-Bar System Revisited:

Lets revisit the formulation of the equations of motion for the

spring-mass-bar problem studied in the previous lecture. To this
end, first, we must obtain the virtual displacements.

Virtual Displacements:
Virtual displacement for mass m:
rA0 = x i
4

(3.7)

Virtual displacement for bar M :

rC 0 = rA0 + rA0 C 0
L
rA0 C 0 = (cos i + sin j)
2

(3.8)

Virtual rotation for bar M :

to obtain the
Here, one utilizes the angular velocity = k
virtual rotation

= k

(3.9)

= x i + y j + z k

(3.10)

In general one has

Acceleration Vectors:
Acceleration vector for the sliding mass m:
aA0 = v A0 = xi

Acceleration vectors for the pendulum bar M :

aC 0 = aA0 + aA0 C 0
aA0 C 0 =

L
(cos i
2

+ sin j)

L2
(sin i
2

cos j)

Equilibrium equation for the sliding mass m:

f 0A = kxi m
xi mgj + NA j + XAC i + YAC j = 0

Equilibrium equation for the pendulum bar M :

f 0C = F i M aC 0 M gj XAC i YAC j = 0
5

Fig. 3. Free-body diagram for mass

Fig. 4. Free-body diagram for the bar

L
MC 0 = M12
k + rC 0 A0 (XAC i YAC j) + rC 0 B 0 F i = 0

Application of DAlemberts Principle for the springmass-bar problem

3.4

(Fi miri ) ri =f 0A r0A + f 0C r0C + M0C C0 = 0

{kxi m
xi mgj + NA j
+ XAC i + YAC j} r0A
+ {F i M aC 0 M gj
XAC i YAC j} r0C
M L2
{
k + rC 0 B 0 F i
12
+ rC 0 A0 (XAC i YAC j)}
(3.11)

Note that f 0A r0A 6= 0 and so other two terms!

The first term in (3.11) becomes

f 0A r0A = {kxi m
xi mgj + NA j + XAC i + YAC j} (xi)

0
0
f A rA = {kx m
x + XAC } x
(3.12)

Remark: Observe that the reactions forces YAC and NA have

played no role in the resulting virtual work!
7

The second term in (3.11) becomes

f 0C r0C = {F i M aC 0 M gj XAC i YAC j} r0C
L
L2
= {F i M [
xi +
(cos i + sin j)
(sin i cos j)]
2
2
L
M gj XAC i YAC j} {xi + (cos i + sin j) }
2

L
L2
x+
cos
sin ] XAC } x
f 0C r0C = {F M [
2
2
L
L2
L
+ {F M [
x+
cos
sin ] XAC } cos
2
2
2
2

L
L
L
+ {M [
sin
cos ] M g YAC } sin
2
2
2

L2
L
cos
sin ] XAC } x
f 0C r0C = {F M [
x+
2
2
L cos
ML
M L2 M Lg

F
cos x
sin
2
2
4
2
L
L
cos XAC sin YAC }
2
2

+{

(3.13)

In evaluating the third term of (3.11), first, carry out:

L
(sin i cos j) F i
2
FL
cos k
=
2

rC 0 B 0 F i =

rC 0 A0 (XAC i YAC j) = {

L
L
cos XAC + sin YAC }k
2
2
(3.14)

so that we obtain
M

C0

C0

M L2 F L
L
L
= {
+
cos + [ cos XAC + sin YAC ]}
12
2
2
2
(3.15)
8

Substituting (3.12), (3.13) and (3.15) into (3.11), we obtain

N
X

ML
ML
cos
sin 2 F } x
2
2
2
ML
ML
M gL
+{

x+
cos x +
sin L cos F } = 0
3
2
2
(3.16)

(Fi miri ) ri = {(M + m)

x + kx +

i=1

3.5

Coupled equations for x and via dAlemberts

principle

Since x and are arbitrary, we obtain:

(M + m)
x + kx +

ML
ML
cos
sin 2 = F
2
2
(3.17)

M L2 M L
M gL
+
cos x +
sin = L cos F
3
2
2
Observations

1. When using Newtons second law, (3.17) are obtained by

eliminating the reaction forces XAC and YAC .
2. On the other hand, one does not need to consider reaction
forces in applying dAlemberts principle! Only apparent forces
including inertia forces need to be considered. This is a major
advantage of applying energy principles over Newtons method.