2-D MOTION OF RIGID BODIES

Kinematics of Rigid Bodies: Definition

Kinematics refers to the description and analysis of the motion of objects without consideration
of the forces and torques causing them.

Velocity of a point on a Rotating Rigid Body

Consider the rotating rigid body in
Figure 1 below. Point 𝑂 is fixed in the frame. The rotation axis passes through 𝑂.

̅𝒑
𝒗

𝒓̅

Figure 1

For any point on the body 𝑷;

̅𝒑 = 𝝎 × 𝒓
𝒗

Velocity of a point on Rotating and Translating Rigid Body

Let’s consider a rotating and translating rigid body with two selected points 𝑃 and 𝐺. The
velocity at point 𝑃 can be expressed in terms of the velocity at point 𝐺 plus a term to represent
the rotation of the point 𝑃 around the point 𝐺.

MASENDEKE DM Dynamics & Control Engineering EM 551

 𝑷
𝒓̅

̅𝑷
𝑹

𝒚 ̅𝑮
𝑹

𝑶 𝒙
Figure 2

From Figure 2,
𝑅̅𝑃 = 𝑅̅𝐺 + 𝑟̅
𝑑 𝑑𝑅̅𝐺 𝑑𝑟
⟹ 𝑣̅𝑃 = 𝑅̅𝑃 = +
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
̅𝑷 = 𝒗
∴𝒗 ̅𝑮 + 𝝎 × 𝒓
Thus, we can express the motion of any point on a rigid body in terms of translation of another
point on the body and a rotation about that point.

Instantaneous Center of Rotation

An instantaneous center is a point on a rigid body whose velocity is zero at a given instant. If we
know the location of an instant center in 2D motion and we know the angular velocity of the
rigidy body, the velocities of all other points can be determined.

𝑨
𝒓̅𝑰𝑨

Figure 3

MASENDEKE DM Dynamics & Control Engineering EM 551

Consider a rigid body in Figure 3, where 𝐼 is the instant center.
𝑣̅𝐴 = 𝑣̅𝐼 + 𝜔 × 𝑟̅𝐼𝐴
= 0 + 𝜔 × 𝑟̅𝐼𝐴

̅𝑨 = 𝝎 × 𝒓̅𝑰𝑨
∴𝒗
Therefore, the body is undergoing rigid body rotation about 𝐼.

How to locate an Instant center

1. Draw lines in direction of motion of two points on a rigid body.
2. Draw perpendiculars to both lines at points.
3. I is the intersection of perpendiculars.

Line in direction of motion

of 𝑨
𝑨
Line in direction of
motion of 𝑩

Linear Momentum Principle

̅ = 𝑴𝒗
𝑷 ̅𝒄
Where
𝑀 = Total mass and
𝑣̅𝑐 = Velocity of center of mass.

MASENDEKE DM Dynamics & Control Engineering EM 551