4th Year Automotive - MEA451 Problem Sheet

Assignment #01
1. Write the differential equations for the mechanical systems shown in Figure 1. Put each system
equation of motion in both the state space and S-space form.

x1 x2

k1 k2 y
k3
(a) m1 m2
b1 b2

x1 x2

k2
k1 k1
(b) m1 m2
b

x1 x2

k1
k2 F
(c) m1 m2
b1
Friction damping = b2

Figure 1
2. Write the equation of motion for the double-pendulum system shown in Figure 2. Assume the
displacement angles of the pendulum are small enough to ensure that the spring is always horizontal.
The pendulum rods are taken to be massless of length l, and the spring are attached 2/3 of the way
down (put the system equation in both state space and S-space formes).

2 k 1

mg mg

Figure 2