Group Assignment MEC 420

CASE STUDY : ROLLER COASTER

Class : EMD3M2R
Prepared for : PM Yaacob Mat Taib
Prepared by :
Ahmad Dzulhakim Bin Azmi (2016709133)
Farhan Naim Bin Fisol (2016577225)
Muhammad Syazwan Bin Noor Asikin (2016329537)
Muhammad Adry Shah Bin Aidil (2016316973)
Wan Muhammad Asyraf Bin Mohd Asri (2016730133)
Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………......3
History ……………………………………………………………………………......4
Mechanics…………………………………………………………………………….5
Dynamic Analysis of Roller Coaster………………………………………………....6
Discussion…………………………………………………………………………....12
Conclusion…………………………………………………………....……………...13
References…………………………………………………………....……………...14
Title : Case Study of Roller Coaster

1.0 Introduction

A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad
track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. People ride
along the track in open cars, and the rides are often found in amusement parks and
theme parks around the world. La Marcus Adna Thompson obtained one of the first
known patents for a roller coaster design in 1885, related to the Switchback Railway
that opened a year earlier at Coney Island. The track in a coaster design does not
necessarily have to be a complete circuit, as shuttle roller coasters demonstrate. Most
roller coasters have multiple cars in which passengers sit and are restrained. Two or
more cars hooked together are called a train. Some roller coasters, notably wild mouse
roller coasters, run with single cars.

Figure 1 : A train of roller coaster

2.0 History

The oldest roller coasters are believed to have originated from the so-called "Russian
Mountains", specially constructed hills of ice located in the area that is now St.
Petersburg.Built in the 17th century, the slides were built to a height of between 21 and
24 m (70 and 80 feet), had a 50-degree drop, and were reinforced by wooden supports.
Later, in 1784, Catherine the Great is said to have constructed a sledding hill in the
gardens of her palace at Oranienbaum in St. Petersburg.The name Russian Mountains
to designate a roller coaster is preserved in many languages (e.g. the Spanish montaña
rusa), but the Russian term for roller coasters is американские горки ("amerikanskiye
gorki"), meaning "American mountains."

The first modern roller coaster, the Promenades Aeriennes, opened in Parc Beaujon in
Paris on July 8, 1817. It featured wheeled cars securely locked to the track, guide rails
to keep them on course, and higher speeds. It spawned half a dozen imitators, but their
popularity soon declined.

However, during the Belle Epoque they returned to fashion. In 1887 French
entrepreneur Joseph Oller, co-founder of the Moulin Rouge music hall, constructed the
Montagnes Russes de Belleville, "Russian Mountains of Belleville" with two hundred
meters of track laid out in a double-eight, later enlarged to four figure-eight-shaped
loops.

Figure 2 : The first roller coaster evented

3.0 Mechanics
The cars on a typical roller coaster are not self-powered. Instead, a standard full circuit
coaster is pulled up with a chain or cable along the lift hill to the first peak of the coaster
track. The potential energy accumulated by the rise in height is transferred to kinetic
energy as the cars race down the first downward slope. Kinetic energy is then converted
back into potential energy as the train moves up again to the second peak. This hill is
necessarily lower, as some mechanical energy is lost to friction.

Not all rides feature a lift hill, however. The train may be set into motion by a launch
mechanism such as a flywheel launch, linear induction motors, linear synchronous
motors, hydraulic launch, compressed air launch or drive tire. Such launched coasters
are capable of reaching higher speeds in a shorter length of track than those featuring a
conventional lift hill. Some roller coasters move back and forth along the same section
of track; these are known as shuttles and usually run the circuit once with riders moving
forwards and then backwards through the same course.

A properly designed ride under good conditions will have enough kinetic, or moving,
energy to complete the entire course, at the end of which brakes bring the train to a
complete stop and it is pushed into the station. A brake run at the end of the circuit is
the most common method of bringing the roller coaster ride to a stop. One notable
exception is a powered roller coaster. These rides, instead of being powered by gravity,
use one or more motors in the cars to propel the trains along the course.

If a continuous-circuit coaster does not have enough kinetic energy to completely travel
the course after descending from its highest point (as can happen with high winds or
increased friction), the train can valley: that is, roll backwards and forwards along the
track, until all kinetic energy has been released. The train will then come to a complete
stop in the middle of the track. This, however, works somewhat differently on a
launched coaster. When a train launcher does not have enough potential energy to
launch the train to the top of an incline, the train is said to roll back.

In 2006, NASA announced that it would build a system using principles similar to those
of a roller coaster to help astronauts escape the Ares I launch pad in an emergency,
although this has since been scrapped along with the rest of the Ares program.
 4.0 Dynamic Analysis of Roller Coaster
There are many analysis and calculation can be performed regarding the motion of the
roller coaster. For example, we can calculate the acceleration and velocity in tangential
and normal component. We can also analysis the potential energy and kinetic energy
which is related with work energy and many more.

Law of Conservation Energy

The law of conservation of energy is a law of science that states that energy cannot be created
or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another or transferred from one object to
another.

Sample Calculation :

Point 2
Point 1

25 m

11 m

We can know the velocity of the roller coaster at Point 1 and Point 2 by using the Law of
Conservation Energy.

Take Gravity as 9.81 m/s

Law of Conservation Energy Equation: ∑ E (initial) = ∑ E (final)

Ugo + Ko = Ugf + Kf

Initial Potential Energy

Final Kinetic Energy
 Initial Kinetic Energy Final Potential Energy
Potential Energy = mgh
Kinetic Energy =
M= mass ½ (m)(𝑣 2 ) M= mass

G= gravitional V= velocity

H= height

Position 1

Ugo + Ko = Ugf + K1f

Ko = 0 because there is no initial velocity

mgh = mgh + ½ (m)(𝑣 2 )

h=0 because it touch the datum

V= √ (2gh)
= √ (2x9.81x25)
V1 = 22.14 m/s

Position 2

Ugo + Ko = Ugf + K1f

mgh = mgh + ½ (m)(𝑣 2 )

g( h-h2 ) = ½ 𝑣 2

V = √ (2g(h-h2) )

= √ ( 2x9.81 (25-11))

V2 = 16.21 m/s
 We can also find the velocity and acceleration component.

V1
25 m

10 m

Ugo + Ko = Ugf + Kf

g( h-h2 ) = ½ 𝑣 2

V = √ (2g(h-h2) )

= √ ( 2x9.81 (25-10))

V1 = 17.15 m/s
Acceleration Component

Tangential Component

Normal Component

Tangential Component = 17.15 m/𝒔𝟐

Normal Component = 𝑣 2 /𝑟
= (17.15 x 17.15)/ 5
= 58.8 m/𝒔𝟐
Completing a Loop
Most roller coaster nowadays try to have something unique in store, one of them is for the roller
coaster to travel around the loop to add some adrenaline to the ride. Although most of the roller
coaster out there is equipped with safety precaution to avoid them falling during the loop, they
must also takes into consideration the minimum speed at the bottom of the loop and minimum
speed at the top of the loop to avoid any accidents when performing the loop.

Figure x: Loop in roller coaster

*Note that frictional force is ignored in this equation.

To get the minimal speed, N=0
At the top of the loop,

𝑚𝑣 2
= N + mg, where N=0
𝑟
𝑣2
=g
𝑟
v = √𝑔𝑟

This equation is used to calculate the minimal speed the roller coaster need at the top of the
loop.

Next, in order to find the minimal speed needed before entering the loop, first, we must find
the energy equation at the top and bottom.

At the top,
Potential energy= mgh = 2mgr
 1 1
Kinetic energy= 2 m𝑣 2 = 2 mgr, since v=√𝑔𝑟
Hence, the total energy at the top is;
𝐸𝑡 = PE+KE
1
= 2mgr + 2 mgr
5
=2 mgr

At the bottom (only kinetic energy is presence)

1
Kinetic energy= 2 m𝑣𝑏2
Next, the assumption made is to equal the total energy at the bottom and top which will
produce;

1 5
m𝑣𝑏2 =2 mgr
2

𝑣𝑏 =√5𝑔𝑟
So, by using this equation, the minimal speed required at the beginning of the loop can be
calculated so that the roller coaster would not fall down during the loop in loop ride.

Case study calculation

For our case study, we will apply the parameters obtained on the equation that has been
explained above.

m=2500kg
r = 25m
g=9.81

for velocity at the top,

𝑣𝑡 =√𝑔𝑟
=√(9.81)(25)
=15.66 m/s
For starting velocity at the bottom,
𝑣𝑏 =√5𝑔𝑟
=√5(9.81)(25)
=35.02 m/s
So, the amount of velocity needed to complete the loop in our case study is calculated.
5.0 Discussion

Roller coaster are mostly driven by the force of physics such as inertia, gravity and
momentum. To produce initial force, the roller coaster first create a potential energy by going
to the top of the track. Usually the first hill gives the highest potential energy to the cart since
it will be used for the rest of the ride. After falling through the hill track, the cart will produce
kinetic energy after potential. As the roller coaster descends, it is accelerating, creating kinetic
energy. The kinetic energy is the largest at the bottom of the first hill. The energy of the roller
coaster cars will continue to change from potential to kinetic energy, and vice versa, as the cars
ascend and descend the hills. Due to frictional losses, the total energy only decreases
throughout the ride; therefore, the maximum hill the cars can climb gets smaller and smaller.
The energy built up from the first hill has to be enough to take the cars to the end of the ride.

All of the change and principle involve in roller coaster obey the law of conservation
energy which states that energy can change form from one to another but cannot be created or
destroyed.

The weight of the roller coaster is constantly being pulled down by the force of gravity.
Since gravity is an internal force, any work done by it does not affect the value of total
mechanical energy of the cars. Gravity along with other forces such as friction and inertia help
to make sure the cars stays on track along with the people inside it. This explain why people
don’t fall out of the roller coaster when it is upside down which obey Newton’s first law that
states object in motion tends to stay in motion.

The energy during a roller coaster ride is spread into different areas. A lot of the energy
goes to the friction between the roller coaster and the track, which allows the roller coaster car
to slow down. Additional energy is lost due to wind resistance and gravity. If gravity overcame
the forward motion of the roller coaster cars as they climbed the hills, then the ride would never
make it to the top of a hill. Energy is also lost in angular momentum from twists and turns.
Ultimately in roller coasters, the energy will always be dispersed. It is nearly impossible to
make a 100% efficient roller coaster, or else it would never end. Higher efficiency in the wheels
and better streamlining have made a big difference in how long the system can retain energy,
but it will never be perfect. Factors such as friction, air resistance, and the Law of Conservation
of Energy make it impossible for perfect efficiency.
6.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, our aim to study the physics of roller coaster is fulfil by equating all the
necessary equation involved in the motion of the roller coaster. In this case study we manage
to analysis the subject more detail by each chapter. The objective of this case study to applying
the theoretical that have been learned into the real life application was achieved. Overall, the
understanding about the dynamic also increase as the theoretical can be applied in real life
problem.
7.0 References

1. Benson, H.T., “Kinetics of Rigid Bodies Undergoing Two-Dimensional Motion”,

Dynamic Engineering Mechanics, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York, 2011.
2. Hibbeler R.C. and Yap K.B., “Three-Dimensional Kinetic of a Rigid Body”, Mechanics
for Engineers : Dynamics”, 13th ed., Pearson, Singapore, 2013.
3. Chandler, M. (2012, January 1). How Roller Coasters Work. Kidzworld. Retrieved,
from http://www.kidzworld.com/article/4633-how-roller-coasters-work
4. Harris, T. (2007, August 9). How Roller Coasters Work. HowStuffWorks. Retrieved,
from http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/roller-coaster.htm
5. Johnson, T. (2006, July 11). First Hill on A Roller Coaster is the Biggest. University of
Illinois. Retrieved,fromhttp://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=31
6. Ratliff, D. (2011, June 6). What Causes Roller Coasters to Slow Down?. eHow.
Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_8549322_causes-roller-coasters-slow-
down.html
7. Unknown. (2013, August 13). Roller coasters. Why don’t I fall out when a roller coaster
goes upside down? (Everyday Mysteries: Fun Science Facts from the Library of
Congress). Retrieved, from http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/rollercoaster.html