Appendix A—Lag range's Equation

Consider a vibrating structural system shown in Fig. A-l; the symbolic displacements may be
defined as A/ where z = 1,2, ... m, and m is the possible longitudinal, transverse, and rotational
motion. Let the generalized coordinates be qt, i= 1,2,...,«, as given in Fig. A-2. Thus the position
of a mass k can be defined as

Ak = Ak(qi,q2,...,qm,t) (A-l)

From Eq. (A-l)

(A-2)

{A}

FIG. A-l FIG. A-2

817

Copyright © 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

 818 APPENDIX A

The derivation of Eq. (A-2) with respect to time qk yields

^i-^i (A3)
(A 3)
dqk-dqk '

From Eq. (A-l)

!r = dq
dqk !r(«i.<)
k "• > (A-4)

Then

d (dAt\ = #Aj dqi 82Aj 8q2 82Ai 8qm

dt\dqk) 3qidqk 3t 3q23qk 3t '" dqmdqk 3t

From Eq. (A-2)

3At 82Ai .
(A 6)
"
Comparing Eq. (A-5) with Eq. (A-6) yields

d_ (3Aj\ 9,4,
dt \dqk) 3qk

Virtual work (5W and virtual displacement dAk can be expressed as

p
(A-8)
k=l

where p > m and

Sq2 + ...+5qm (A-9)

in which Fk is the one of p forces acting at and along the respective coordinates. The virtual work
can be also expressed in terms of generalized coordinates and generalized forces as
m p

Therefore the generalized forces associated with the generalized coordinates may be written on the
basis of Eqs. (A-8)-(A-10) as

4=1 "**'

If the external forces of the masses Fk are equal to their respective inertial forces

Fk = MkAk (A-12)
then Eq. (A-11) may now be expressed as

(A-l 3)

Copyright © 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

 LAGRANGE'S EQUATION 819

Since kinetic energy T has the following form:

k=i

then

k k
=V
\M k k 9< k k 9
- » rA A——=}M
V ^ ^A A—- (A-1^
.A 16)
3ft. fcr ?< fcr *
From Eq. (A- 16),

ddT ,(A- ,^
A 17)

Comparing Eq. (A- 17) with Eqs. (A- 13) and (A-15) gives

Let the generalized forces be

Qi = Q,j + QD,I + Qw.i (A-19)

in which Qv , = spring forces, QDii = damping forces, and QWii = applied forces. Let the spring force
due to change of the potential energy V be

the damping force due to dissipated energy D be

&>,.'= -^
dqi
(A-21)

and the applied forces, acting along the generalized coordinates, due to change of work W, be

Q»,i = ^ (A-22)
oft-

Then Lagrange's equation may be written by using Eqs. (A- 1 8)-(A-22) as

d_ /9T\ _ 3T dV_ W = 8W_

+ +
dt(dq~J~Wl Wi Wi~^ '

More details about Lagrange's equation can be found in Chapter 4 of Tuma and Cheng (1983).
Equation (A-21) is derived using the virtual work principle. Since potential energy Kcan be
uniquely defined by the generalized coordinates of the structure,

V=V(qi,q2,qj,---qn,t) (A-24)

Copyright © 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

 820 APPENDIX A

u,=q2 smq,
U2=q2 cosq,

FIG. A-3 FIG. A-4

A variation of V, b V, associated with an arbitrary set of virtual displacements, 5q, is

(A-25)

Based on the principle of virtual work, this change in strain energy may be expressed in terms
of the virtual work done by the generalized forces acting through these same virtual displacements.

(A-26)

Because the generalized coordinates q\,..., qn are all independent, the corresponding virtual
displacements can be arbitrarily defined. Then the two expressions in Eqs. (A-25) and (A-26) may
be compared term by term, which yields

dV
(A-27)

Eq. (A-27) has a positive sign since the force is considered to be applied to the elastic element as the
spring of the spring-mass system shown in Fig. A-3. When generalized force is applied to the mass,
it has the opposite sign as in Eq. (A-28):

(A-28)

Equation (A-21) can again be derived using the principle of virtual work. Let F/ be the applied
damping forces along virtual displacements 5uj in the u constrained coordinate system. The virtual
work done by these forces in the M-system is

(A-29)

We now apply a coordinate transformation

Uj = Uj(qi,q2,---,qn) (A-30)

which is illustrated in the system shown in Fig. A-4. This example shows the transformation from
the constrained coordinates, u, to the generalized coordinates, q. Thus

(A-31)

Copyright © 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

 LAGRANGE'S EQUATION 821

Consequently

5u\ = qi cos q\5q\ + sin q\bqi J (A-32)

5ii2 = —qi sin q\bq\ + cos q\bqi J

Substituting Eq. (A-31) into Eq. (A-29) yields

= F j 5 q i (A-33)

Interchanging the order of summation, we obtain

S q t F j L (A-34)

Virtual work <5 WD can also be expressed as the sum of the work done by the generalized damping
force Qi along their corresponding virtual displacements 5qt,

(A-35)
/

Comparing Eqs. (A-34) with Eq. (A-35) gives

2<- = !><•?; «=l,2,...,n (A-36)

j 1'
The damping force in Eq. (A-36) must be taken as negative since a positive damping force
always takes a direction opposite to the generalized displacement of the mass. Therefore

where D = ^ FtUj.
Equation (A-22) can also be derived using the principle of virtual work. Let Gj be the applied
forces along virtual displacements 5Sj in the S constrained coordinate system. Virtual work
becomes

dWw = ^Gj8Sj (A-38)

j
Apply a coordinate transformation as in Eq. (A-30) into generalized coordinates

Sj = SJ(ql,q2,---,qn) (A-39)

Then

" 8S
^
Substituting Eq. (A-40) into Eq. (A-38) yields

Copyright © 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

 822 APPENDIX A

Virtual work <5 WH, can also be expressed as the sum of the work done by the generalized
external forces Qw,i along their corresponding virtual displacements bq\

^Q*,ibqi (A-42)
i

Comparing Eq. (A-41) with Eq. (A-42) gives

where W = Y^ Gj Sj.

Copyright © 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.