INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROORKEE

PHN207

Mechanics&Relativity
AjayY.Deo

DepartmentofPhysics
RoomNo.305,Ph.:5566

LagrangianMechanics

Constraints

In many real-life situations, motion of an object is restricted or

constrained such that its coordinates or/and velocity components
must satisfy some prescribed relations at every instant of time.
These relations can be expressed in the form of either equations or
inequalities.
Example: Consider a billiard ball of radius R on a billiard
table of length 2a and breadth 2b. The motion of center of
mass of the ball is then must satisfy
-a + R x a - R
-b + R y b - R
z=R
Assuming that the origin is at the center of the table, and X-, Yaxes run parallel to the length and breadth of the table.

Physically, constrained motion is realized by forces which arise

when the object in motion is in contact with the constraining surface
or curves. These forces are called Constraint Forces.

Constraints..

Properties of constraint forces

They are elastic in nature and appear at the surface of contact.

They arise because the motion defined by the external applied
forces in hindered by the contact
They are so strong that they barely allow the object under
consideration to deviate even slightly from prescribed path or
surface. This path or surface is called constraint.
constraint The scalar
equations describing the surface of constraint if called constraint
equations.
The sole effect of the constraint forces is to keep the constraint
relation satisfied.

Constraints..

Classification of constraints
Constraint

Either Scleronomic
OR Rheonomic

Either Holonomic
OR Nonholonomic

Either Conservative
OR Dissipative

Either Bilateral
OR Unilateral

1.

Constraint relations do not explicitly depend on time:

Constraint relations depend explicitly on time:

Scleronomic
Rheonomic

2.

Constraint relations are or can be made independent of velocity: Holonomic

Constraint relations are not holonomic:
Nonholonomic

3.

Total mechanical energy (ME) of the system is conserved while performing the
constrained motion. Constrained forces do not do work: Conservative
Constraint forces do work and total ME is not conserved: Dissipative

4.

At any point on constraint surface both forward and backward motions are
possible. Constraint relations are not in the form of inequalities but are in the form
of equations:
Bilateral
At some point no forward motion is possible. Constraint relations are in the form
of inequalities:
Unilateral

Constraints..

Properties of constraints

It may be possible to classify the constraint into type 1, 2 or 4 (previous

slide) just by looking at the constraint relation. However, for class 3
depends on whether constraint forces do any work while maintaining
constraint relation throughout all the stages of motion.
Some constraint relation contains velocities but can be integrated w.r.t.
time so that resulting relation is independent of velocities. In such cases
the constraint is holonomic.
Forces of constraints: By the superposition of forces, it is possible to
divide the total force into many components. For a given problem,
universally recognized forces which do not depend on the nature of
constraint relations e.g. the sort of surface on which particles are
constrained to move are classified as externally applied forces. The rest of
the forces are assumed to originate from contact with constraining
surfaces. Such forces are categorically classified as forces of constraints.
Unfortunately, Newton did not give any prescription for calculating these
forces. Hence in the absence of total force it is not possible to formulate
Newton's 2nd law, and hence it is not possible to find solution of problems
involving constraints.

Constraints..

Work done by Constraint Forces

Usually, constraint forces act in the direction perpendicular to

the direction of the surface of constraint at every point on it,
while the motion of the object if parallel to the surface at
every point. In such cases, work done by constraint forces is
ZERO.
ZERO
One obvious exception is Frictional Force due to sliding
which does work for real displacement.

Constraints..

Some Examples

1. Rigid Body: A system of particles such that the distance between any
pair of particles remain constant with time. | ri rk | = const.
Thus, the constraint of rigidity is scleronomic, holonomic, bilateral and
conservative in nature.

2. Deformable Bodies:

| ri rk | = f(t)

In this case constraints are rheonomic, holonomic, bilateral and dissipative.

3. Simple Pendulum with rigid support: Position of the blob at any

instant of the time is given by: | r|2 = x2 + y2 + z2 = l2, where l is the length
of the string.
This is an example of scleronomic, holonomic, bilateral and conservative
constraint.

4. A Spherical container of fixed Radius R Filled with a Gas:

The constraint relation is given by: | ri | R, ri measured from the center of
the container. scleronomic, holonomic, unilateral and conservative constraint.

Principle of Virtual Work

Virtual Displacement:
Any assumed (imaginary) and arbitrary small displacement (r)
consistent with the constraint relation at a given instant (i.e. without
allowing the real time to change) is called Virtual Displacement.
By definition, then, virtual infinitesimal displacement is given by:

xi = dxi|dt=0

The term virtual is used to indicate that the displacement does not really exist but
only is assumed to exist.
Virtual Displacement is not experienced but only assumed to exist so that various
possible equilibrium positions may be compared to determine the correct one.

Virtual Work:
The work done by any force on a particle due to its virtual
displacement is called Virtual Work.
By definition, virtual work is defined through the relation:

W=F.r

F is the vector sum of applied (Fa) and the constraint force f

Principle of Virtual Work

Forasysteminstaticequilibriumthetotalforceonthesystemvanishes,by
definition.
Hence, the virtual work done on such a system due to any arbitrary virtual
displacement must identically vanish.

F=f+F(a)=0

where f is the sum of total of constraint forces and Fa is that of applied forces

W=F.r=0

If the virtual work done by the constraint forces also vanishes, i.e.

f.r=0

then virtual work done by applied forces also vanishes i.e.

Wa=F(a).r=0

For a system of n particles,

(a)
Wa=
F
.

r
=0

i
i
i=1

Principle of Virtual Work

Statement

(a)
Wa=
F
.

r
=0

i
i
i=1
The above equation states that the necessary condition for static equilibrium is that

thevirtualworkdonebyalltheappliedforcesshouldvanish,provided
thatthevirtualworkdonebytheconstraintforcesvanishes.

Thisiscalledtheprincipleofvirtualwork.
Example:
Consider a system of the two blocks on frictionless surfaces
constrained by a rod to move together. We wish to determine
the force F that will keep the system in equilibrium.
NewtonianApproach:

Principle of Virtual Work

Example

VirtualWorkApproach:
We set up equation involving external forces as follows:
The constraint equation between x and y are:

Since the displacement is arbitrary, and this equation must hold for all possible virtual
displacements, the quantity inside the parenthesis must be zero