The Application of Lagrange

Equations to Mechanical Systems

With Mass Explicitly Dependent
C. P. Pesce
Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
on Position
Escola Politécnica,
University of São Paulo,
The derivation and application of the Lagrange equations of motion to systems with mass
Brazil
varying explicitly with position are discussed. Two perspectives can be followed: systems
e-mail: ceppesce@usp.br
with a material type of source, attached to particles continuously gaining or losing mass,
and systems for which the variation of mass is of a nonlinear control volume type, mass
trespassing a control surface. This is the case if, for some theoretical or practical reason,
a partition into subsystems is considered. An important class of problems in which the
extended Lagrange equations turn to be useful emerges from ‘‘hydromechanics,’’ when-
ever a finite number of generalized coordinates can be used, under the concept of the
added mass tensor. A particular and interesting one is addressed in the present paper: the
classical hydrodynamic impact of a rigid body against a liquid free surface.
关DOI: 10.1115/1.1601249兴

1 Introduction is addressed in the present paper: the classical hydrodynamic im-

Variable-mass systems have been the focus of a large number of
problems in classical mechanics. As early as in 1857, Cayley 关1兴
discussed the problem of a chain being coiled up at a table. Levi-
Civita 关2兴, in 1928, treated the motion of a variable mass point
body, in the two-body problem, introducing an extended form of
Newton’s law. Such a form, however, is only valid if mass is
gained or lost at null velocity with respect to an inertial frame. A
renewed interest in this subject emerged with the ‘‘rocket prob-
lem,’’ now included in many textbooks. Another special class of
problems, which has deserved consideration, relates to ‘‘tethered
satellite systems.’’ Similar to the coiling chain problem such a
class concerns the deploying or the retrieving of a cable from or
into a body moving along it, see, e.g., Crellin et al. 关3,4兴. Specific
problems also related to cable systems, such as the lifting-crane
problem, Cveticanin 关5兴, have been studied recently. The textile
industry is another source of variable-mass systems problems in
mechanics, Cveticanin 关6 –9兴. All those applied research activities
gave rise to the need of new theoretical investigations, as those
pact of a rigid body against the water free surface; see, e.g., Ko-
robkin and Pukhnachov 关15兴, Cooker and Peregrine 关16兴, and Mo-
lin, Cointe, and Fontaine 关17兴.
2 Some Theoretical Considerations
Kinetic energy, T⫽T(q j ;q̇ j ;t), is, by definition, at least a bi-
linear form in generalized velocities, q̇ j , and also, in many cases,
a function of the generalized coordinates, q j . However, physically
speaking, there is a rather large distinction between the kinetic
energy being an explicit function of the kinematic state of the
system 共generalized coordinates and velocities兲, or else, an im-
plicit function of those, through a possible dependence of mass, in
the form m i ⫽m i (q j ;q̇ j ;t). Whenever this is the case, the me-
chanical system does not obey the usual form of the classical
Euler-Lagrange equations
冉 冊
d ⳵T
dt ⳵ q̇ j
⫺
⳵T
⳵q j
⫽Q j ,

conducted in the 1990s by Cveticanin, 关10–12兴 and even earlier,
in the 1980s, by Ge 关13,14兴.
The purpose of the present paper is to discuss some theoretical
aspects involved in the variable-mass systems dynamics, usually
hidden behind many derivations. Particular emphasis is given to
the case of systems where the variation of mass is an explicit
function of position. The discussion is extended to ‘‘hydrome-
chanics,’’ here meant as a class of problems involving potential
flows around bodies, whenever a finite number of generalized
coordinates can be used as a proper representation of the motion,
under the concept of the added mass tensor. As added mass usu-
ally depends on position of the body, explicitly, this may render
incorrect the application of the usual Euler-Lagrange equations of
motion to any isolated subsystem. A particular and interesting one
Contributed by the Applied Mechanics Division of THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF
MECHANICAL ENGINEERS for publication in the ASME JOURNAL OF APPLIED ME-
CHANICS. Manuscript received by the ASME Applied Mechanics Division, April 27,
2001; final revision, February 20, 2003. Associate Editor: N. C. Perkins. Discussion
on the paper should be addressed to the Editor, Prof. Robert M. McMeeking, Depart-
ment of Mechanical and Environmental Engineering University of California—Santa
Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5070, and will be accepted until four months after
final publication of the paper itself in the ASME JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHAN-
ICS.
unless nonconservative generalized forces associated to fluxes of
mass are already considered included in Q j , as those usually re-
ferred to as Metchersky’s reactive forces, see, e.g., Cveticanin
关10兴. Otherwise, the derived equations of motion will take an er-
roneous form. It could be argued that the usual Euler-Lagrange 共or
simply Lagrange兲 equations would be suitable to the case for
which m⫽m(t), mass varying solely as an explicit function of
time. This is true, however, only if mass is gained or lost at zero
velocity with respect to an inertial frame of reference, in a ‘‘con-
tinuous impact manner,’’ as assumed by Agostinelli 关18兴 共p. 257兲,
who concluded being the Lagrange equations invariant for holo-
nomic variable-mass systems. In that particular work, Levi-
Civita’s special form of momentum equation dp/dt⫽f was used,
with no reference to any reactive force, proportional to the veloc-
ity of the particle that is being expelled from or incorporated to
the system.
The reason for these subtle distinctions, concerning how mass
changes, if as an explicit or an implicit function of time, will be
shown next. The answer hides behind the derivation of the most
general form of the Lagrange equations, as presented, e.g., in
Cveticanin 关10兴. We point out that, in systems with mass explicitly
dependent on position, a naive application of the usual Lagrange
equations, without any special consideration on generalized

Journal of Applied Mechanics Copyright © 2003 by ASME SEPTEMBER 2003, Vol. 70 Õ 751
forces, leads to equations of motions which lack terms of the form 3.1 The Simplest Case of Systems of Particles with Con-
(1/2)( ⳵ m/ ⳵ q)q̇ 2 . For instance, a nonproper application of stant Mass. Usually, for systems of constant mass, the kinetic
Lagrange equation to the hydrodynamic impact problem leads to energy T i ⫽1/2m i vi2 of a given particle P i is, apart from the mass
an erroneous term of the form (1/2)(dM a /dZ)W 2 , being M a the m i , identified in both terms of Eq. 共8兲, such that

冉 冊 冉 冊 冉 冊
instantaneous added mass, Z the penetration of the impacting body
into the initially quiescent free surface, and W the downward ver- dvi ⳵ P i d 1 ⳵ m i vi2 ⳵ 1 d ⳵Ti ⳵Ti
mi • ⫽ ⫺ m v2 ⫽ ⫺ .
tical velocity of the body. dt ⳵ q j dt 2 ⳵ q̇ j ⳵q j 2 i i dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵q j
We now proceed, deriving the ‘‘extended’’ Lagrange equations (10)
in Secs. 3 and 4. In Sec. 5, we present two didactic examples: 共i兲
the reel problem; 共ii兲 the free-surface impact problem. Observing that, in this simplest case, dm i /dt⫽0, such that
dpi /dt⫽m i (dvi /dt), substituting Eqs. 共5兲 and 共10兲 in the ex-
tended D’Alembert principle 共1兲, and observing that the general-
3 The Classical Lagrange Equations ized forces Q j reduce, from Eq. 共9兲, to the usual form,
Consider a system of N particles of mass m i . Let P i be the
⳵ Pi
corresponding position in a given inertial frame of reference and
pi ⫽m i vi the momentum. By extending Levi-Civita’s form of
Q j⫽ 兺 f • ⳵q
i
i
j
, (11)
Newton’s law to cases when mass is gained or lost with no null
velocity, D’Alembert’s principle can be written one easily obtains the usual Lagrange equations

兺 冉 dt ⫺F 冊 • ␦ P ⫽0,
dpi d ⳵T ⳵T
(1) ⫺ ⫽Q j ; j⫽1, . . . ,M , (12)
i
i i dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ q j
where for a system where all particles have invariant mass.
Fi ⫽fi ⫹hi , (2)
fi being the sum of all active forces acting on P i , and 3.2 Systems of Particles with Mass as Explicit Function of
Time m i Äm i „t…. Before entering the more general case, where
hi ⫽ṁ i voi (3) m i ⫽m i (q j ;q̇ j ;t), it is also instructive to consider the case where
is a reactive force, proportional to the rate of variation of mass mass is solely an explicit function of time, m i ⫽m i (t).
with respect to time and to the velocity voi of the expelled 共or D’Alembert’s principle reads

兺 冉 dt ⫺ 共 f ⫹h 兲 冊 • ␦ P ⫽ 兺 兺 冉 m 冊
gained兲 mass. Note that the reactive force known as Metchersky’s dpi dvi dm i
force, in the Russian technical literature, is usually written as i i i i ⫹ v ⫺ 共 fi ⫹hi 兲
function of relative velocities, in the form i j i dt dt i

⌽i ⫽ṁ i 共 voi ⫺vi 兲 ⫽hi ⫺ṁ i vi . (4) ⳵ Pi

• ␦ q ⫽0. (13)
Under this latter interpretation, the extended D’Alembert’s Prin- ⳵q j j
ciple, Eq. 共1兲, would be equivalently written 共see, e.g., Cveticanin Integrating by parts, the first term transforms as follows:
关10兴兲

兺冉 mi
dvi
dt 冊
⫺ 共 fi ⫹⌽i 兲 • ␦ P i ⫽0. (1⬘) mi
dvi ⳵ P i d 1
• ⫽ mi
⳵ vi2
dt ⳵ q j dt 2 ⳵ q̇ j
⫺冉dm i 1 ⳵ vi2
dt 2 ⳵ q̇ j
⫺
⳵ 1
冊 m v2
⳵q j 2 i i
冉 冊 冉 冊
冉 冊
i

Consider virtual displacements ␦ P i , and a M set of generalized

coordinates q j 共for simplicity, the system is considered holo-
⫽
d 1 ⳵ m i vi2
dt 2 ⳵ q̇ j
⫺
dm i ⳵ ⳵ 1
m v2
dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ m i 2 i i 再 冋 冉 冊 册冎
冉 冊
nomic兲 such that
⳵ 1
⳵ Pi ⫺ m v2
␦ P i⫽ 兺 ⳵q j
•␦q j . (5) ⳵q j 2 i i

冉 冊 冋 冉 冊册
j
d ⳵Ti dm i ⳵ ⳵ T i ⳵Ti
The velocities vi ⫽vi (q j ;q̇ j ;t); j⫽1, . . . ,M are, as usual, consid- ⫽ ⫺ ⫺ . (14)
dt ⳵ q̇ j dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ m i ⳵q j
ered as functions of generalized coordinates and derivatives, as
well of time t. The following common and straightforwardly de- Observing Eq. 共7兲, the second term in Eq. 共13兲 transforms as
rivable kinematic relations, which can be found in any good text-
book in classical mechanics 共see, e.g., Targ 关19兴, p. 508兲, will be
used as well:
dm i
dt
vi •
⳵ P i dm i
⳵q j
⫽
dt
vi •
⳵ vi 1 dm i ⳵ vi2 dm i ⳵ ⳵ T i
⫽
⳵ q̇ j 2 dt ⳵ q̇ j
⫽
dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ m i 冋 冉 冊册 .

⳵ vi
⫽
d ⳵ Pi
⳵ q j dt ⳵ q j 冉 冊
, (6)
This latter expression is the most general 共and concise兲 form for
(15)

the parcel that depends on the variation of mass in the momentum

⳵ vi ⳵ P i time derivative. Note that this form is exactly the opposite of the
⫽ , (7)
⳵ q̇ j ⳵ q j second term appearing on the right-hand side of Eq. 共14兲.
They cancel each other when Eqs. 共14兲 and 共15兲 are substituted
and
into Eq. 共13兲, leading to a equation of motion which has the same
dvi ⳵ P i d 1 ⳵ vi2
• ⫽
dt ⳵ q j dt 2 ⳵ q̇ j
⫺ 冉 冊 冉 冊
⳵ 1 2
v .
⳵q j 2 i
(8)
form as Eq. 共12兲, with the generalized forces given by Eq. 共9兲.
This is a very subtle step which can explain why a system of
particles with variable mass, but given solely as an explicit func-
We also define the generalized, nonconservative force, which al- tion of time, m i ⫽m i (t), obey the same form of Euler-Lagrange
ready includes the reactive force hi ⫽ṁ i voi , as equations that govern a system of particles of invariant mass. This
is essentially Agostinelli’s 关15兴 result 共p. 257兲, now having the
⳵ Pi ⳵ Pi
Q j⫽ 兺 F • ⳵ q ⫽ 兺 共 f ⫹h 兲 • ⳵ q
i
i
j i
i i
j
. (9) generalized forces extended according to Eq. 共9兲, by including the
reactive forces defined by Eq. 共3兲.

752 Õ Vol. 70, SEPTEMBER 2003 Transactions of the ASME

4 The Lagrange Equations for Systems of Particles d ⳵L ⳵L
with Variable Mass as Function of Time, Generalized ⫺ ⫽Q̂ nc
j ; j⫽1, . . . ,M ,
dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ q j
Coordinates and Velocities, m i Äm i „q j ;q̇ j ;t…
⳵ Pi
As before, use is made of the extended D’Alembert principle, in
the form 共13兲 besides Eqs. 共6兲–共9兲. In this general case the first
j ⫽
Q̂ nc 兺 共fi
i ⫹ṁ i voi 兲 •
nc
⳵q j

兺 再 2 dt 冉 ⳵ q̇ 冊 冎
term in Eq. 共13兲 is given as 1 d ⳵mi 1 ⳵mi

冉 冊 冉 冊 冉 冊
⫹ 共 vi 兲 2 ⫺ 共 v 兲2 , (21)
⳵ vi ⳵ P i d 1 1 dm i ⳵ 1⳵ vi2 ⳵ vi2 i j 2 ⳵q j i
mi • ⫽ m ⫺ ⫺ m v2
dt ⳵ q j dt 2 i ⳵ q̇ j 2 dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵q j 2 i i where L⫽T⫺V is the Lagrangian function. As a matter of fact,
problems in classical mechanics where mass is an explicit func-
1 ⳵mi 2
⫹ 共v 兲 tion of velocities are hard to conceive, to say the least.2 Therefore,
2 ⳵q j i if just position dependence is considered, we obtain

⫽ 冉
d 1 ⳵ m i vi2
dt 2 ⳵ q̇ j
⫺ 冊
1 d ⳵ m i 2 1 dm i ⳵ vi2
v ⫺
2 dt ⳵ q̇ j i 2 dt ⳵ q̇ j 冉 冊 冉 冊 d ⳵L ⳵L
⫺
dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ q j
⫽Q̂ nc
j ; j⫽1, . . . ,M ,

冉 冊 兺 再 2 ⳵q 冎
⳵ 1 1 ⳵mi 2 ⳵ Pi 1 ⳵mi
⫺
⳵q j 2
m i vi2 ⫹ 共v 兲
2 ⳵q j i j ⫽
Q̂ nc 兺 共f
i
i ⫹ṁ i voi 兲 •
nc
⳵q j
⫺
i j
共 vi 兲 2 . (22)

⫽
d ⳵Ti
冉 冊
dt ⳵ q̇ j
⫺
1 d ⳵ m i 2 dm i ⳵ ⳵ T i
v ⫺
2 dt ⳵ q̇ j i 冉 冊
dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ m i 冋 冉 冊册 Equation 共22兲 can be verified to agree with the derivation pro-
vided by Cveticanin 关10兴, for the practical case where mass is
solely dependent on generalized coordinates 共not in velocities兲. It
⳵Ti 1 ⳵mi 2 must be observed that the first term appearing in Cveticanin’s Eq.
⫺ ⫹ 共 v 兲. (16) 共8兲 is exactly our term given by Eq. 共15兲. In the present derivation,
⳵q j 2 ⳵q j i
the Mertchersky’s reactive force has been split in the form ⌽ i
This is the most general form for the parcel that depends on the ⫽ṁ i (voi ⫺vi )⫽hi ⫺ṁ i vi , such that the term given by Eq. 共15兲
acceleration in the momentum time derivative. Taking both most ends to be cancelled out, as observed before, turning the final Eq.
general forms, Eqs. 共15兲 and 共16兲, and substituting in Eq. 共13兲, 共22兲 somewhat simpler in form.
with the generalized forces given by Eq. 共9兲, one finally obtains1

兺再 冉 冊
d ⳵T ⳵T 1 d ⳵mi
⫺ ⫽Q j ⫹
dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ q j i 2 dt ⳵ q̇ j
j⫽1, . . . ,M .
These are the dynamic equations for a system of particles with
variable mass in the form m i ⫽m i (q j ;q̇ j ;t). The last two terms
can be interpreted as additional parcels of momentum time rate,
caused by the changes in mass with position and velocities. Alter-
natively, they could be interpreted as additional 共nonconservative兲
‘‘equivalent generalized forces’’ that take into account the varia-
tion of mass of each particle in the system. By properly defining a
nonconservative generalized force Q̂ j , Eq. 共17兲 can finally be
written in the simplest 共and usual兲 form,
冎
5 Two Didactic and Illustrative Examples
1 ⳵mi
共 vi 兲 2 ⫺ 共 v 兲2 ; 5.1 A Very Simple Example in Mechanical Engineering:
2 ⳵q j i
The Deploying of a Heavy Cable from a Reel. Consider the
(17) classical and very simple problem of a heavy cable being de-
ployed from a reel by the action of gravity, as presented in Fig. 1.
This very well-known problem has been elected with the only
purpose of exemplifying how partition into subsystems might lead
to an erroneous use of Euler-Lagrange equations. The reel has
radius R and moment of inertia I O , around the axis of rotation.
2
Such cases are, however, the core of relativistic problems, see, e.g., Pars 关20兴,
Chap. XI, p. 190.

d ⳵T ⳵T
⫺ ⫽Q̂ j ; j⫽1, . . . ,M ,
dt ⳵ q̇ j ⳵ q j

⳵ Pi
Q̂ j ⫽ 兺 共 f ⫹ṁ v
i
i i oi 兲 •
⳵q j

兺 再 2 dt 冉 ⳵ q̇ 冊 冎
1 d ⳵mi 1 ⳵mi
⫹ 共 vi 兲 2 ⫺ 共 v 兲2 . (18)
i j 2 ⳵q j i

Moreover, if the active forces fi are split into

fi ⫽f ic ⫹f inc , (19)

f ic being conservative and f inc nonconservative parcels, respec-

tively, such that

⳵V
兺f i
i • ␦ P i ⫽⫺
c
兺 ⳵qj j
␦q j , (20)

V being the usual potential-energy function, Eq. 共18兲 can be writ-

ten in the convenient form,
1
Recall that vi ⫽vi (q j ;q̇ j ;t); j⫽1, . . . ,M . Fig. 1 Cable being deployed from a reel

Journal of Applied Mechanics SEPTEMBER 2003, Vol. 70 Õ 753

Let ␮ be the mass per unit of length of the cable, supposed non-
extensible and infinitely flexible. Without loss of generality, let ␪
be the generalized coordinate, measured from horizontal such that,
at a given instant t, the cable suspended length is l S ( ␪ )⫽R⌰. Let
also L be the total length of the cable such that m⫽ ␮ L is the total
cable’s mass. For simplicity, we take the cable diameter to be very
small compared to the reel’s radius such that the winding pitch is
also small and that all winding turns can be accommodated into a
single winding layer. Let also m S ( ␪ )⫽ ␮ l S ( ␪ )⫽ ␮ R ␪ and m R ( ␪ )
⫽m⫺m S ( ␪ )⫽ ␮ (L⫺ ␪ R) be, respectively, the cable’s suspended
and wound masses.
Obviously, for this simple problem, the best and shortest way to
apply Lagrange equation is to consider the whole 共invariant mass兲
system. Kinetic energy is simply T⫽1/2(I O ⫹mR 2 ) ␪˙ 2 . Accord-
ingly, potential energy is V⫽⫺1/2关 m S ( ␪ )gR ␪ 兴 ⫽⫺1/2␮ gR 2 ␪ 2 .
A straightforward application of the usual Lagrange equation
d/dt( ⳵ L/ ⳵ ␪˙ )⫺ ⳵ L/ ⳵ ␪ ⫽0 to this invariant mass system leads to
the correct equation of motion (I O ⫹mR 2 ) ␪¨ ⫺ ␮ gR 2 ␪ ⫽0.
Suppose now that, for some practical reason, the analyst de-
cides to take a subsystem composed by the reel and by the wound
part of the cable, considering the suspended part of the cable as a
second subsystem. Note that the suspended part of the cable can
be considered as a material point gaining mass at rate ṁ S ( ␪ )
⫽ ␮ R ␪˙ , with velocity ␯ o ⫽R ␪˙ . Let the active force be f ( ␪ )
⫽m s ( ␪ )g⫺ ␶ ( ␪ ), ␶共␪兲 being the traction at the upper section. Ap-
plying the extended Levi-Civita form of Newton’s law to the sus-
pended part, we easily obtain (d/dt) 关 m S ( ␪ )R ␪˙ 兴 ⫽m s ( ␪ )g⫺ ␶ ( ␪ )
⫹ṁ S ( ␪ )R ␪˙ . Hence the tension force applied by the wound part to
the suspended part of the cable is simply ␶ ( ␪ )⫽ ␮ R ␪ (g⫺R ␪¨ ).
Now let I 1 ⫽I O ⫹m R ( ␪ )R 2 ⫽I O ⫹ ␮ R 2 (L⫺R ␪ ) be the moment
of inertia of the first (reel⫹wound part of the cable兲 subsystem,
such that the corresponding kinetic energy is given by T 1
⫽1/2(I R ) ␪˙ 2 ⫽1/2关 I O ⫹m R ( ␪ )R 2 兴 ␪˙ 2 ⫽1/2关 I O ⫹ ␮ R 2 (L⫺R ␪ ) 兴 ␪˙ 2 .
Note that mass exits the wound part with velocity ␯ o ⫽R ␪˙ at a rate
ṁ R ( ␪ )⫽⫺ ␮ R ␪˙ . If, erroneously, the Lagrange equation is applied
to the first subsystem in the form 共12兲, with Q ␪ ⫽ 关 ␶ ( ␪ )
⫹ṁ R ( ␪ )R ␪˙ 兴 R, such that (d/dt)( ⳵ T 1 / ⳵ ␪˙ )⫺( ⳵ T 1 / ⳵ ␪ )⫽ 关 ␶ ( ␪ )
⫹ṁ R ( ␪ )R ␪˙ 兴 R, the following and obviously incorrect equation of
motion is obtained: (I O ⫹mR 2 ) ␪¨ ⫹(1/2) ␮ R 3 ␪˙ 2 ⫺ ␮ gR 2 ␪ ⫽0.
Note the presence of an erroneous quadratic term in velocity,
namely, (1/2) ␮ R 3 ␪˙ 2 .
However, if the correct form of the Lagrange equation, given
by Eq. 共18兲, is applied to this variable mass sub-system,
with Q̂ ␪ ⫽ 关 ␶ ( ␪ )⫹ṁ R ( ␪ )R ␪˙ 兴 R⫺(1/2)(dm R /d ␪ )R 2 ␪˙ 2 , i.e., such
that (d/dt)( ⳵ T 1 / ⳵ ␪˙ )⫺( ⳵ T 1 / ⳵ ␪ )⫽ 关 ␶ ( ␪ )⫹ṁ R ( ␪ )R ␪˙ 兴 R⫺(1/2)
⫻(dm R /d ␪ )R 2 ␪˙ 2 , the correct equation of motion, (I O ⫹mR 2 ) ␪¨
⫺ ␮ gR 2 ␪ ⫽0, previously derived when the whole system was
considered, is readily recovered.
5.2 The Impact of a Rigid Body Against the Water Free
Surface. It is usual practice to treat potential hydrodynamic
problems involving motion of solid bodies within the frame of
system dynamics. This is done whenever a finite number of gen-
eralized coordinates can be used as a proper representation for the
motion of the whole fluid. We shall refer to this kind of approach
as ‘‘hydromechanical.’’ This is made possible through the intro-
duction of the well-known concept of the added mass tensor; see,
e.g., Newman 关21兴 or Lamb 关22兴, where a thorough analysis is
presented on this subject. Particularly, art. 137 of Lamb’s opus is
dedicated to the application of the Lagrangian formalism, envis-
aging to address problems where the fluid kinetic energy, trans-
ferred from a moving body, depends on body’s position. This is,
for instance, the case of a body moving close to a solid barrier. In
this particular example, fluid kinetic energy varies according to
the distance of the body from the barrier, and such a variation can
be represented through the added mass tensor.
This would also be the case for the classical hydrodynamic
impact problem of a rigid body against a free surface. In fact,
754 Õ Vol. 70, SEPTEMBER 2003
Fig. 2 The impact of a rigid body against a liquid free surface.
Jets or sprays are formed. ⵲ c indicates the instantaneous po-
sition of jet’s root, across which there is a flux of kinetic energy
and mass.
during the initial stage of impact, sprays 共or jets兲 are formed,
relieving a very high field pressure that is formed around the body,
as shown in Fig. 2.
Nonetheless, as common in hydrodynamics, the analyst would
probably split the whole body of fluid into two subsystems: 共i兲 the
bulk of fluid, and 共ii兲 the fluid inside the jets. If this procedure is
followed, an exchanging flux of mass and energy clearly exists
between these two subsystems, through their common frontiers, so
that, even being the mass invariant for the whole material system,
it is not for the subsystems.
Within the hydromechanical approach, the present impact prob-
lem can be consistently formulated under the Lagrangian formal-
ism. We take, for simplicity, a purely symmetric and vertical im-
pact case of a body being dropped against a free surface of a
liquid, with infinite depth. The aim is to determine the impacting
force on the body, given its initial kinematic state. We take the
subsystem 共i兲 共the bulk of liquid兲, recalling the added mass depen-
dence on the position of the body. Let W be the impacting body
velocity, Z the body’s penetration into the water, measured from
the initially quiescent free surface and M Ba ⫽M Ba (Z) the body’s
added mass, in the vertical direction. Consistently, the true added
mass is defined in the bulk of the fluid subsystem 共excluding the
jets兲, at each instant of time, what is explicitly represented through
the superscriptB for ‘‘bulk.’’ This is accomplished by taking into
account the so-called ‘‘wetted surface correction on added mass,’’
caused by the marching of the jet root on the body’s surface. This
marching generates a geometric dependence of the kinetic energy
on the generalized coordinate Z. Note that the generalized coordi-
nate Z is an unknown function of the time t. At a given instant t,
the kinetic energy in the bulk of fluid is then written
1 B 2
T⫽ M W ,
2 a
M Ba ⫽M Ba 共 Z 兲 ,
Z⫽ 冕 0⫹
t
Wdt. (23)
However, as already pointed out, considering just the bulk of fluid
implies that a volume of control has been defined by cutting the
jets out. An actual variation of mass should therefore be taken into
account within the subsystem under consideration. The bulk of
fluid loses mass and kinetic energy to the jets, through the jet roots
⳵ C.
The correct ‘‘Lagrangian formalism’’ approach is therefore to
apply Eq. 共18兲.3 Note that the pressure force is applied along the
interface formed by the bulk of fluid and the body; Fig. 2. ⫺F z B
being the force applied on the bulk of fluid,4 this equation reads
⫺F z B ⫽⫺ 冉 冊
d ⳵T
dt ⳵ W
⳵ T 1 dM Ba 2
⫹ ⫺
⳵ Z 2 dZ
W ⫺2ṁ ␯ J sin␣ . (24)
3
Buoyancy and gravitational effects are neglectable in the very starting of impact,
when inertia forces are, by far, the dominant ones.
4
The opposite sign of the force applied on the body by the fluid.
Transactions of the ASME
The fourth term corresponds to the reactive force, ṁ being the
flux of mass through the jets and ␯ J the absolute velocity of the
fluid particles at the jet root; ␣ is the instantaneous angle of the
jets with respect to the horizontal. This equation transforms as
冉 冊
d ⳵T ⳵ T 1 dM Ba 2
⫺F z B ⫽⫺ ⫹ ⫺ W ⫺2ṁ ␯ J sin␣
dt ⳵ W ⳵ Z 2 dZ
d 1 dM Ba 1 dM Ba 2
⫽⫺ 共 M Ba W 兲 ⫹ W 2 ⫺ W ⫺2ṁ ␯ J sin␣ ,
dt 2 dZ 2 dZ
so that
d Real losses of mass associated to fluxes of energy through perme-
F zB ⫽⫺ ˙ ␯ J sin␣ ,
共 M Ba W 兲 ⫹2m (25)
dt
recovering an expected result, in accordance with Eq. 共1兲.
The way to calculate the instantaneous added mass, the flux of
mass, the velocity ␯ J at the jet root, ⳵ C 共as well as the velocity ␯ R
of the jet root itself兲, can be found, e.g., in Faltinsen and Zhao
关23兴, and Cointe and Armand 关24兴. It is also crucial to mention a
neat conclusion drawn, in two independent papers, by Korobkin
and Pukhnachov 关15兴 and by Molin et al. 关17兴: half of the kinetic
energy is transferred to the jets and half to the bulk of the fluid.
As a matter of fact, the analysis by Molin et al. 关17兴, after an
asymptotic analysis by Cointe and Armand 关24兴 on the particular
and important case of a circular cylinder of radius R, proved that,
␧⫽ 冑Wt/R being a small parameter—or, in other words, within a
short scale of time—the thickness of the jet root is of order ␦ J
⫽O(␧ 3 ␲ R/4) and the velocity at the jet root is of order ␯ J
⫽O(␧ ⫺1 W). It then follows that mass flux through the jets is of
order ṁ⫽O(␧ 2 ␲␳ RLW/2) and so, ṁ ␯ J ⫽O(␧ ␲␳ RLW 2 /2), L be-
ing the cylinder’s length (L/RⰇ1). Hence, the vertical force ap-
plied by the jets on the bulk of fluid is of order
O(␧ ␲␳ RLW 2 sin␣ ). Contrarily, the energy flux is of order G
⫽O( ␲␳ RLW 3 ) and (d/dt)(M Ba W)⫽O(␧ ⫺2 ␲␳ RLW 2 ). There-
fore the impact force on the body, for this case, could be written
d the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department
F z B ⫽⫺ 共 M Ba W 兲 . (26)
dt
This derivation consistently recovers, up to third order, statements
as given in Faltinsen and Zhao 关23兴, such that F z ⫽⫺(d/dt)
⫻(M Ba W).
On the other hand, if 共see, e.g., Wu 关25兴兲 the third and fourth
terms appearing on the right-hand side of Eq. 共24兲 were not con-
sidered at all, a different assertive would be obtained, according to
which F z ⫽⫺M Ba (dW/dt)⫺(1/2)W(dM Ba /dt).
This contradiction has been in fact recognized as a 共apparent兲
controversy, stating that important discrepancies would be ob-
tained in impact forces calculations, if either integrating pressures
methods or energy approaches were used. It has been pointed out
by a series of authors 共e.g., Miloh 关26兴兲, even as late as in 1998;
Wu 关25兴. The explanation for such an apparent controversy is
actually the one observed by Molin et al. 关17兴, here re-interpreted
from the point of view of analytical mechanics.
It should be mentioned that a generalization of the dynamic
equations to continuum systems is not straightforward as it could
appear from this simple example. A rigorous treatment of Hamil-
ton principles in continuum mechanics can be found in Seliger
and Whitham 关27兴. However, to the present date, and to the au-
thor’s knowledge, no theoretical extension has been made consid-
ering the case of continuum systems with variable mass as an
explicit function of coordinates 共and velocities兲.
6 Conclusions
A system of particles with mass varying explicitly with position
共and velocity兲 does not obey the classical form of Lagrange equa-
tions of motions. A general derivation has been provided, recov-
ering, e.g., Cveticanin’s 关10兴 result. Some simple examples were
Journal of Applied Mechanics
given to exemplify the use of such a general equation. Application
to engineering problems is somewhat rare, however. In fact, it is
rather difficult to conceive practical applications in which mass is
an explicit function of position 共and, even more rare, of veloci-
ties兲.
Apart from classical problems such as the ‘‘rocket problem,’’
‘‘tethered satellite systems,’’ ‘‘deployment of cables,’’ etc., good
examples can be extracted from potential flows around bodies.
This is true whenever a finite number of generalized coordinates
can be used as a proper representation for the position of the
whole system. In such cases, partition into subsystems, together
with proper definition of control volumes, is often mandatory.
able surfaces are then likely to occur, rendering conceptually in-
correct the application of the usual Lagrange equations of motion.
A particular example where this kind of treatment turns out to
be puzzling is the classical problem concerning the hydrodynamic
impact of a rigid body against a liquid surface. During the initial
stage of impact, jets or sprays are formed along the intersection
between the body and the free surface. Ignoring energy flux
through the jets has been the cause of a 共apparent兲 controversy, by
which pressure integration and energy methods would lead to dif-
ferent expressions for the impacting force. According to Molin
et al. 关17兴, although flux of mass through the jets can be shown to
be neglectable, the flux of kinetic energy is not. Half the kinetic
energy coming from the impacting body is transferred to the bulk
of the fluid and half is transferred to the jets. We believe that this
simple derivation, from the point of view of Lagrange equations,
may contribute with the reasoning of the cited authors, even em-
phasizing the need of a consistent definition of the added-mass
quantity.
Acknowledgments
The author acknowledges a research grant, No. 304062/85,
from CNPq—the Brazilian National Research Council and a grant
from the Brazilian Navy, during a sabbatical year, 1999, spent at
共NAME兲, University of Michigan. The author is especially grate-
ful to Professor Armin Troesch, University of Michigan, for intro-
ducing him to the impact problem, indicating a bench of valuable
references and for the time spent in very interesting discussions.
Thanks to the whole 共NAME兲 staff and faculty members, espe-
cially to Professor Michael Bernitsas, for their support and com-
prehension. Thanks also to Professors L.N.F. Franc˛a, J.A.P. Ara-
nha and C.G. Ragazzo, University of São Paulo, for their time
reading the original manuscript, and to Dr. E. A. Tannuri, for
interesting suggestions regarding engineering applications to
simple systems in which the present analysis might be relevant.
The author is also grateful to two of the reviewers, who patiently
read the original manuscript, made a number of very enlightening
criticisms and rich suggestions, and brought to this author’s
knowledge the works by Cayley, Crellin, Cveticanin, Agostinelli,
and Ge.
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