Derivation of the dynamics of a three-segment rigid body

system in which segment one is joined to the support

Definitions
𝑙1 , 𝑙2 , 𝑙3: Lengths of segments 1, 2, 3

𝑐1 , 𝑐2 , 𝑐3 : Distance between the center of mass and the joint connecting it to the support (for
Segment 1) or to the Segment 𝑖 − 1 for Segments 𝑖 ∈ {2,3}.

𝐼1 , 𝐼2 , 𝐼3 : Moment of inertia around the center of mass of the three segments.

𝜃1 , 𝜃2 , 𝜃3 : Orientation of the three segments in space. 𝜃∗ increases for clockwise rotation and
is zero when the segment is oriented horizontally, pointing to the left. For 𝜃 =
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝑇
[2 , 2
, 2
] , the three segments point all upward in the instable equilibrium of a
triple-pendulum.

𝑥1 , 𝑥2 , 𝑥3 : Position of the center of mass of the three segments with respect to the joint
connecting Segment 1 to the support (x positive: left; y positive: up).

𝑚1 , 𝑚2 , 𝑚3 : Mass of the three segments.

𝜏1 , 𝜏2 , 𝜏3 : External torque acting on the three segments.

Kinetic energy of the first segment (K1):

cos(𝜃1 ) −sin(𝜃1 ) ̇
𝑥1 = 𝑐1 [ ]⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡𝑥̇ 1 = 𝑐1 [ ]𝜃
sin⁡(𝜃1 ) cos⁡(𝜃1 ) 1

1 2 1
𝐾1 = 𝑚1 |𝑥̇ 1 | + 𝐼1 𝜃̇12
2 2
1 1
= 𝑚1 𝑐12 𝜃̇12 + 𝐼1 𝜃̇12
2 2

Kinetic energy of the second segment (K2)

cos(𝜃1 ) cos(𝜃2 ) −sin(𝜃1 ) ̇ −sin(𝜃2 ) ̇
𝑥2 = 𝑙1 [ ] + 𝑐2 [ ]⁡⁡⁡⁡𝑥̇ 2 = 𝑙1 [ ] 𝜃1 + 𝑐2 [ ] 𝜃 ⁡⁡
sin⁡(𝜃1 ) sin⁡(𝜃2 ) cos⁡(𝜃1 ) cos⁡(𝜃2 ) 2

1 2 1
𝐾2 = 𝑚2 |𝑥̇ 2 | + 𝐼2 𝜃̇22
2 2
1 1
= 𝑚2 [𝑙12 𝜃̇12 + 𝑐22 𝜃̇22 + 2𝑙1 𝑐2 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇2 cos⁡(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 )] + 𝐼2 𝜃̇22
2 2

Kinetic energy of the third segment (K3)

cos(𝜃1 ) cos(𝜃2 ) cos(𝜃3 )
𝑥3 = 𝑙1 [ ] + 𝑙2 [ ] + 𝑐3 [ ]
sin⁡(𝜃1 ) sin⁡(𝜃2 ) sin⁡(𝜃3 )

−sin(𝜃1 ) ̇ −sin(𝜃2 ) ̇ −sin(𝜃3 ) ̇

⁡⁡⁡𝑥̇ 3 = 𝑙1 [ ] 𝜃 + 𝑙2 [ ] 𝜃 + 𝑐3 [ ] 𝜃 ⁡⁡⁡⁡
cos⁡(𝜃1 ) 1 cos⁡(𝜃2 ) 2 cos⁡(𝜃3 ) 3
 1 2 1
𝐾3 = 𝑚3 |𝑥̇ 3 | + 𝐼3 𝜃̇32
2 2
1
= 𝑚 [𝑙 2 𝜃̇ 2 + 𝑙22 𝜃̇22 + 𝑐32 𝜃̇32 + 2𝑙1 𝑙2 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇2 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) + 2𝑙1 𝑐3 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇3 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )
2 3 1 1
1
+ 2𝑙2 𝑐3 𝜃̇2 𝜃̇3 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )] + 𝐼3 𝜃̇32
2

Total kinetic energy (K)

1 1 1
𝐾= (𝑚1 𝑐12 + 𝐼1 + 𝑚2 𝑙12 + 𝑚3 𝑙12 )𝜃̇12 + (𝑚2 𝑐22 + 𝐼2 + 𝑚3 𝑙22 )𝜃̇22 + (𝑚3 𝑐32 + 𝐼3 )𝜃̇32
2 2 2

+(𝑚2 𝑙1 𝑐2 + 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑙2 )𝜃̇1 𝜃̇2 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) + 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑐3 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇3 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )

+ 𝑚3 𝑙2 𝑐3 𝜃̇2 𝜃̇3 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )

Potential energy (P)

𝑃 = 𝑔[𝑚1 𝑐1 sin(𝜃1 ) + 𝑚2 (𝑙1 sin(𝜃1 ) + 𝑐2 sin(𝜃2 ))
+ 𝑚3 (𝑙1 sin(𝜃1 ) + 𝑙2 sin(𝜃2 ) + 𝑐3 sin(𝜃3 ))]

Langrange ODE
𝑑 𝛿𝐾 𝛿𝐾 𝛿𝑃
− + =𝜏
𝑑𝑡 𝛿𝜃̇ 𝛿𝜃 𝛿𝜃

(𝑚1 𝑐1 + 𝑚2 𝑙1 + 𝑚3 𝑙1 )cos(𝜃1 )
𝛿𝑃
= 𝑔[ (𝑚2 𝑐2 + 𝑚3 𝑙2 )cos(𝜃2 ) ] = 𝐺(𝜃)
𝛿𝜃
𝑚3 𝑐3 cos(𝜃3 )

−(𝑚2 𝑙1 𝑐2 + 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑙2 )𝜃̇1 𝜃̇2 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) − 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑐3 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )

𝛿𝐾
= [ (𝑚2 𝑙1 𝑐2 + 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑙2 )𝜃̇1 𝜃̇2 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) − 𝑚3 𝑙2 𝑐3 𝜃̇2 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) ]
𝛿𝜃
𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑐3 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 ) + 𝑚3 𝑙2 𝑐3 𝜃̇2 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )

𝛿𝐾
𝛿𝜃̇
(𝑚1 𝑐12 + 𝐼1 + 𝑚2 𝑙12 + 𝑚3 𝑙12 )𝜃̇1 + (𝑚2 𝑙1 𝑐2 + 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑙2 )𝜃̇2 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) + 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑐3 𝜃̇3 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )
=[ (𝑚2 𝑙1 𝑐2 + 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑙2 )𝜃̇1 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) + (𝑚2 𝑐22 + 𝐼2 + 𝑚3 𝑙22 )𝜃̇2 + 𝑚3 𝑙2 𝑐3 𝜃̇3 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) ]
𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑐3 𝜃̇1 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 ) + 𝑚3 𝑙2 𝑐3 𝜃̇2 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) + (𝑚3 𝑐3 + 𝐼3 )𝜃̇3
2

Shortcuts:

𝑑11 = 𝑚1 𝑐12 + 𝐼1 + 𝑚2 𝑙12 + 𝑚3 𝑙12 , 𝑑12 = 𝑚2 𝑙1 𝑐2 + 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑙2

𝑑13 = 𝑚3 𝑙1 𝑐3, 𝑑22 = 𝑚2 𝑐22 + 𝐼2 + 𝑚3 𝑙22
𝑑23 = 𝑚3 𝑙2 𝑐3 , 𝑑33 = 𝑚3 𝑐32 + 𝐼3

Inserting the shortcut into the previous two equations yields:

−𝑑12 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇2 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) − 𝑑13 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )
𝛿𝐾
= [ 𝑑12 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇2 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) − 𝑑23 𝜃̇2 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) ]
𝛿𝜃
𝑑13 𝜃̇1 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 ) + 𝑑23 𝜃̇2 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )
 𝑑11 𝜃̇1 + 𝑑12 𝜃̇2 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) + 𝑑13 𝜃̇3 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )
𝛿𝐾
= [ 𝑑12 𝜃̇1 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) + 𝑑22 𝜃̇2 + 𝑑23 𝜃̇3 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) ]
𝛿𝜃̇
𝑑13 𝜃̇1 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 ) + 𝑑23 𝜃̇2 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) + 𝑑33 𝜃̇3

𝑑11 𝑑12 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) 𝑑13 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )

𝑑 𝛿𝐾 𝛿𝐾
− = [ 𝑑12 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) 𝑑22 𝑑23 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )] 𝜃̈
𝑑𝑡 𝛿𝜃̇ 𝛿𝜃
𝑑13 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 ) 𝑑23 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) 𝑑33

0 −𝑑12 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 )(𝜃̇1 − 𝜃̇2 ) −𝑑13 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )(𝜃̇1 − 𝜃̇3 )

+ [ −𝑑12 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 )(𝜃̇1 − 𝜃̇2 ) 0 −𝑑23 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )(𝜃̇2 − 𝜃̇3 )] 𝜃̇
−𝑑13 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )(𝜃̇1 − 𝜃̇3 ) −𝑑23 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )(𝜃̇2 − 𝜃̇3 ) 0

0 −𝑑12 𝜃̇1 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) −𝑑13 𝜃̇1 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )

− [ 𝑑12 𝜃̇2 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) 0 −𝑑23 𝜃̇2 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )] 𝜃̇
𝑑13 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 ) 𝑑23 𝜃̇3 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) 0
𝛿𝐾
The first two summands of this equation result from the total differentiation of ⁡𝛿𝜃̇ with
𝛿𝐾
respect to time according to the chain rule and the third summand is equal to the gradient ⁡𝛿𝜃 .
Addition of the last two summands results in:

𝑑11 𝑑12 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) 𝑑13 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )

𝑑 𝛿𝐾 𝛿𝐾
− = [ 𝑑12 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) 𝑑22 𝑑23 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )] 𝜃̈
𝑑𝑡 𝛿𝜃̇ 𝛿𝜃
𝑑13 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 ) 𝑑23 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) 𝑑33

0 𝑑12 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 )𝜃̇2 𝑑13 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )𝜃̇3

⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡+ [ −𝑑12 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 )𝜃̇1 0 𝑑23 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )𝜃̇3 ] 𝜃̇
−𝑑13 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )𝜃̇1 −𝑑23 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )𝜃̇2 0
Inserting this into the Langrange equation yields:

𝜏 = 𝑫(𝜃)𝜃̈ + 𝑯(𝜃, 𝜃̇)𝜃̇ + 𝐺(𝜃)

With

𝑑11 𝑑12 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) 𝑑13 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )

𝑫(𝜃) = [ 𝑑12 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) 𝑑22 𝑑23 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )]
)
𝑑13 cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 𝑑23 cos(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 ) 𝑑33

and

0 𝑑12 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 )𝜃̇2 𝑑13 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )𝜃̇3

𝑯(𝜃, 𝜃̇) = [ −𝑑12 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 )𝜃̇1 0 𝑑23 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )𝜃̇3 ]⁡
−𝑑13 sin(𝜃1 − 𝜃3 )𝜃̇1 −𝑑23 sin(𝜃2 − 𝜃3 )𝜃̇2 0