Double Pendulum

Josh Altic

May 15, 2008

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Position

x1

x2

1
L1

x1 = L1 sin(1 )
x2 = L1 sin(1 ) + L2 sin(2 )

y1

y1 = L1 cos(1 )

m1
2

m2

y2 = L1 cos(1 ) L2 cos(2 )
y2

Josh Altic

L2

Double Pendulum

Potential Energy: the sum of the potential energy of each

mass

P = m1 gy1 + m2 gy2
P = m1 gL1 cos(1 ) m2 g (L1 cos(1 ) + L2 cos(2 ))

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Kinetic Energy in General

We know that
K = 1/2mv 2 .

Which brings us to
K = 1/2m(x 2 + y 2 ).

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Kinetic Energy in the double pendulum system

K = 1/2m1 (x 12 + y 12 ) + 1/2m2 (x 22 + y 22 ).
position:

differentiating:

x1 = L1 sin(1 )

x 1 = L1 cos(1 )1
x 2 = L1 cos(1 )1 + L2 cos(2 )2

x2 = L1 sin(1 ) + L2 sin(2 )
y1 = L1 cos(1 )
y2 = L1 cos(1 ) L2 cos(2 )

y1 = L1 sin(1 )1
y 2 = L1 sin(1 )1 + L2 sin(2 )2

K = 1/2m1 12 L21 + 1/2m2 [12 L21 + 22 L22 + 21 L1 1 L2 cos(1 2 )].

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Lagrangian in General

The Lagrangian(L) of a system is defined to be the difference of

the kinetic energy and the potential energy.
L = K P.
For the Lagrangian of a system this Euler-Lagrange differential
equation must be true:
 
L
d L

=0

dt

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

the Lagrangian of our double pendulum system

K = 1/2m1 12 L21 + 1/2m2 [12 L21 + 22 L22 + 21 L1 2 L2 cos(1 2 )].

P = (m1 + m2 )gL1 cos(1 ) m2 L2 g cos(2 )

In our case the Lagrangian is

L = 1/2(m1 + m2 )L21 12 + 1/2m2 L22 22 + m2 L1 L2 1 2 cos(1 + 2 )+
(m1 + m2 )gL1 cos(1 ) + m2 L2 g cos(2 ).

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Partials of the Lagrangian for 1

L = 1/2(m1 + m2 )L21 12 + 1/2m2 L22 22 + m2 L1 L2 1 2 cos(1 2 )+
(m1 + m2 )gL1 cos(1 ) + m2 L2 g cos(2 )
Thus:
L
= L1 g (m1 + m2 ) sin(1 ) m2 L1 L2 1 2 sin(1 2 )
1
L
= (m1 + m2 )L21 1 + m2 L1 L2 2 cos(1 2 )
1
d
dt

L
1

= (m1 + m2 )L21 1 + m2 L1 L2 2 cos(1 2 )

m2 L1 L2 2 sin(1 2 )(1 2 )
Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Substituting into the Euler-Lagrange Equation

d
dt

L
=0

(m1 + m2 )L21 1 + m2 L1 L2 2 cos(1 2 ) + m2 L1 L2 22 sin(1 2 )+

gL1 (m1 + m2 ) sin(1 ) = 0
Simplifying and Solving for 1 :
m2 L2 2 cos(1 2 ) m2 L2 22 sin(1 2 ) (m1 + m2 )g sin(1 )
1 =
(m1 + m2 )L1

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Partials for 2
Once again the Lagrangian of the system is
L = 1/2(m1 + m2 )L21 12 + 1/2m2 L22 22 + m2 L1 L2 1 2 cos(1 2 )+
(m1 + m2 )gL1 cos(1 ) + m2 L2 g cos(2 )

L
= m2 L1 L2 1 2 sin(1 2 ) L2 m2 g sin(2 )
2
L
= m2 L22 2 + m2 L1 L2 1 cos(1 2 )

2
d
dt

L
2

= m2 L22 2 + m2 L1 L2 1 cos(1 2 )
m2 L1 L2 1 sin(1 2 )(1 2 )
Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Substituting into the Euler-Lagrange equation for 2

d
dt

L
=0

L2 2 + L1 1 cos(1 2 ) L1 12 sin(1 2 ) + g sin(2 ) = 0.

L1 1 cos(1 2 ) + L1 12 sin(1 2 ) g sin(2 )
2 =
.
L2

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

two dependent differential equations

We now have two equations that both have 1 and 2 in them.

m2 L2 2 cos(1 2 ) m2 L2 22 sin(1 2 ) (m1 + m2 )g sin(1 )
1 =
(m1 + m2 )L1

L1 1 cos(1 2 ) + L1 12 sin(1 2 ) g sin(2 )

2 =
.
L2

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

creating two second order differential equations

1 =

2 =

m2 L1 12 sin(1 2 ) cos(1 2 ) + gm2 sin(2 ) cos(1 2 )

m2 L2 22 sin(1 2 ) (m1 + m2 )g sin(1 )
L1 (m1 + m2 ) m2 L1 cos2 (1 2 )
m2 L2 22 sin(1 2 ) cos(1 2 ) + g sin(1 ) cos(1 2 )(m1 + m2 )
+ L1 12 sin(1 2 )(m1 + m2 ) g sin(2 )(m1 + m2 )
L2 (m1 + m2 ) m2 L2 cos2 (1 2 )

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

converting to a system of first order differential equations

If I define new variables for 1 ,1 ,2 and 2 I can construct a

system of four first order differential equations that I can then
solve numerically.
differentiating I get

This gives me

z1 = 1
z2 = 2

z1 = 1
z2 = 2
z3 = 1

z3 = 1
z4 = 2 .

z4 = 2 .

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

A system of four first order differential equations

z1 = 1
z2 = 2

m2 L1 z42 sin(z1 z2 ) cos(z1 z2 ) + gm2 sin(z2 ) cos(z1 z2 )

z3 =

m2 L2 z42 sin(z1 z2 ) (m1 + m2 )g sin(z1 )

.
L1 (m1 + m2 ) m2 L1 cos2 (z1 z2 )
m2 L2 z42 sin(z1 z2 ) cos(z1 z2 ) + g sin(z1 ) cos(z1 z2 )(m1 + m2 )

z4 =

+L1 z42 sin(z1 z2 )(m1 + m2 ) g sin(z2 )(m1 + m2 )

.
L2 (m1 + m2 ) m2 L2 cos2 (z1 z2 )
Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

example of cyclical behavior of the system

m1
m2

1.5

y1 and y2

1
0.5
0
0.5

1.5

0.5
Josh Altic

0
0.5
x1 and x2
Double Pendulum

1.5

example of cyclical behavior of the system

m1
m2

1.5

y1 and y2

1
0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2

Josh Altic

0
x1 and x2

Double Pendulum

example of nearly cyclical behavior of the system

2
m1
m2

1.5

y1 and y2

1
0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2

0
x1 and x2
Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

example of nearly cyclical behavior of the system

2
m1
m2

1.5

y1 and y2

1
0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2

0
x1 and x2

Josh Altic

Double Pendulum

Example of Chaotic behavior of the system

m1
m2

y1 and y2

0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2

0
x1 and x2
Josh Altic

Double Pendulum