MEEN 618 Spring Semester 2020

ENERGY & VARIATIONAL METHODS

Professor J. N. Reddy Tel: 979 862 2417; Room: 401 MEOB (O)
e-mail: jnreddy@tamu.edu Web: http://mechanics.tamu.edu/

ASSIGNMENT NO. 5
Chapters 5 on Hamilton’s Principle
Date: Mar. 3, 2020 Due: Mar. 24, 2020

Problem 1: Figure 1 represents a double pendulum that is suspended from a block which moves
horizontally with a prescribed motion, x = f (t). Derive the Euler-Lagrange equations of motion
of the pendulum when it oscillates in the (x, y)-plane under the action of gravity and prescribed
motion.

u1 = x (t ) = f (t )

° M x
l1
θ1
m1
θ2 l2

m2
y

Figure 1: A double pendulum.

u1 = x (t ) = f (t ), v1 = 0
x = f (tof
Problem 2: (a) Derive the equations ) motion of the third-order beam theory, starting with
° M ° M x, u
the displacement field x
l1 v2 l1 u2 = f + l1 sin q1
θ θ
u1 (x, z, t) = u(x, t) + zφx1(x,mt)1 2
+ z θx (x, t) + z 3 ζx1(x,mt),
1 uv22 = l1 (1 -
=-0, ucos q1 )z, t)
3 (x, = w(x, t)
θ2 l2 θ2 l2 u3 = f + l1 sin q1 + l2 sin q2
where (u, w, φx , θx , ζx ) are dependent unknowns. Account
l1 sin q for the
v3 =von
-l1 (1Kármán
- cos q1 ) - nonlinear
l2 (1 - cos q2 ) strain,
m2
m
2 2
y

∂u1 y, v1 ∂u3
εxx = +
∂x 2 ∂x

Assume that the beam is subjected to distributed axial load f (x, t) and transverse load q(x, t),
and that the x-axis coincides with the geometric centroidal axis. Express the resulting equations
in terms of the area-integrated stress resultants (you may have to introduce some new ones).
(b) Express the equations of motion of the third-order beam theory in terms of the generalized
displacements (w, φx ) by assuming linear elastic behavior (i.e., σxx = Eεxx and σxz = Gγxz )

1
Problem 3: Consider a rectangular membrane of dimensions a by b, and mass density ρ,
and subjected to distributed transverse load f (x, t). The membrane is fixed at all points of its
boundary. If the strain energy stored in the membrane is given by
Z a Z b  2  2 
T0 ∂u ∂u
U= + dxdy, (1)
0 0 2 ∂x ∂y

where T0 is the tension in the membrane and u is the transverse displacement, determine the
equation of motion governing u.

Problem 4: Consider the problem of minimizing the functional

Z L 2 Z L
EI 
Π(w, ε(1)
xx ) = ε(1)
xx dx − qw dx
2 0 0

subject to the constraint

d2 w
ε(1)
xx −
= 0.
dx2
where w is the transverse deflection, q the distributed load, EI is the flexural stiffness, and L
is the length of the beam. Construct a functional using the Lagrange multiplier method and
determine the associated Euler equations.

Advance Notice: Test # 2 is scheduled for 25 March (a Wednesday) 2020. It includes material
covered from Chapters 4 and 5. The test will be of 3 hrs duration of your choice on that day
(for your convenience). You are required to submit the solution to the ecampus box set up for
the test.