Normal Tangential (n-t)

Coordinate System
DYNAMICS BDA20303
A moving particle P in a curved path can be described using Normal (n)
and tangential (t) coordinate system.
The tangential axis t is tangent to the curve at P and is positve in the
direction of v.
The normal axis n is the perpendicular to the t axis and is directed from
P towards the center of curvature.
At instant the radius of curvature for n-axis is assumed as constant.
Normal tangential (n-t) coordinates also called intrinsic coordinates.
The travel path motion from its initial position P 0 to a new position P1
equals to a line distance in the circle.
s  R

Where R is the curvature and θ the angular displacement.

If the angular motion   0, mathematical expresion is ds  Rd
In general, the line distance can be integrated along the motion
s 

 ds  R d
s0 0
Angular velocity is defined as   d
dt
ds d
And the speed of P is ---> R
dt dt

v  R
In terms of direction the velocity vector P in tangential direction

V  vet  R  et

If x-y coordinate system is used for a frame reference, then the

tangential velocity can be expressed in terms of xand y components
vx   R cos  
v  
 y   R sin  
v
It is already known that perimeter of a circle is s  2R which is
actually an integration of the line distance of the circle in a complete
cycle. s 2

 ds  R  d
0 0

s  R 2
Thus for any clculation of a line distance s under the range of β
s 

 ds  R  d
0 0

s  R
the angle β must be in radian
Acceleration in n-t coordinate system
   de 
dv  d  
a  R et   t 
dt  dt dt 
 
   

a  R   et   et 
 
and also det  det d
dt d dt
det
It is defined that, unit vector  en
d

Derivative of unit vector et

det  
 et   en
dt
 
Rearranging the acceleration equation by substituting et
 2
a  R  et  R  en
a  Ret  R 2 en
 2 2
where at  R   R and an  R  R2  v
R

Magnitude of acceleration(total accleleration)

a a 2
t  an2 
The acceleration of n-t coordinate can be seen using x-y cartesian
system. Figure 2.20 depicts the transformation.
Referring to x-y coordinate system, vectors a t and a n can be perform
to obtain the total acceleration
a  a n  at
 R  2 sin   R  cos  
a 
  R  2
cos   R  sin  

magnitude of acceleration

a  2
sin   R  cos    R  sin   R 
2 2
cos  
2