26-08-2022

Lagrangian method

Course: ME 603
Instructor: Sripriya Ramamoorthy

References: S. Widnall (OCW-MIT), Kim Vandiver (MIT), wikipedia, and textbooks

Why another method?

➢ So far we used Newton’s method to derive governing equations.

➢ Why do we need another method? How does it help?
➢ Newton’s method becomes difficult for complex systems (example:
system with constraints, mix of coordinate systems polar vs.
Cartesian)
➢ Lagrange’s method gives exactly the same equations as Newton’s,
but is much simpler for complex systems.
➢ Although there is a thorough derivation for Lagrange’s equations based on
the principle of virtual work, we will see a simple derivation here based on
the equivalence to Newton’s second law.

1
 26-08-2022

Conservative force field

➢ A conservative force is a force with the property that the work done
in moving a particle between two points is independent of the taken
path.
➢ A conservative force is dependent only on the position of the object.
➢ If a force is conservative, it is possible to assign a numerical value for
the potential at any point. When an object moves from one location
to another, the force changes the potential energy of the object by an
amount that does not depend on the path taken.
➢ If the force is not conservative, then defining a scalar potential is not
possible, because taking different paths would lead to conflicting
potential differences between the start and end points.
➢ Examples:
❑ Gravity, spring : Conservative force
❑ Friction: Non-conservative force

Lagrange’s equations in Cartesian coordinates

To start with, we will assume Cartesian coordinates

Say, there are “M” particles in this force field.

Position of the i th particle is 𝑥𝑖 .
N: Number of degrees of freedom
N = M if we consider one-dimensions; N = 3*M in three-dimensions

The total kinetic energy of the particles is given by:

𝑁
1
𝑇 = ෍ 𝑚𝑖 𝑥𝑖ሶ 2
2
𝑖=1

2
 26-08-2022

Lagrange’s equations in Cartesian coordinates

The momentum of a particle in a given direction is determined by
derivative of the kinetic energy in that direction:
𝑁
𝜕𝑇 𝜕 1
= ෍ 𝑚𝑖 𝑥𝑖ሶ 2 = 𝑚𝑖 𝑥𝑖ሶ = 𝑝𝑖
𝜕𝑥ሶ 𝑖 𝜕 𝑥ሶ 𝑖 2
𝑖=1

Time-derivative of this momentum is:

𝑑𝑝𝑖 𝑑 𝜕𝑇 𝑑
= = 𝑚 𝑥ሶ = 𝑚𝑖 𝑥ሷ 𝑖
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝜕 𝑥ሶ 𝑖 𝑑𝑡 𝑖 𝑖
For a conservative force field, the force is equal to 𝜕𝑉
𝐹𝑖 = −
the negative gradient of potential in that direction: 𝜕𝑥𝑖

From Newton’s second law, this is equal to the 𝐹 + 𝐹𝑛𝑐𝑖 = 𝑑𝑝𝑖

𝑖
force in that direction: Here, ‘nc’ stands for
𝑑𝑡
non-conservative.

Lagrange’s equations in Cartesian coordinates

𝑑 𝜕𝑇 𝜕𝑉
From these equations, we get: =− + 𝐹𝑛𝑐𝑖
𝑑𝑡 𝜕 𝑥ሶ 𝑖 𝜕𝑥𝑖

𝜕𝑇
Further, because T is only a function of =0
velocity and V is a function of displacement 𝜕𝑥𝑖
only, we get:
𝜕𝑉
=0
𝜕𝑥ሶ 𝑖

From the above three relations, we can write:

𝑑 𝜕(𝑇 − 𝑉) 𝜕(𝑇 − 𝑉)
− = 𝐹𝑛𝑐𝑖
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑥ሶ 𝑖 𝜕𝑥𝑖

3
 26-08-2022

Lagrange’s equations in Cartesian coordinates

𝑑 𝜕(𝑇 − 𝑉) 𝜕(𝑇 − 𝑉)
So, we derived: − = 𝐹𝑛𝑐𝑖
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑥ሶ 𝑖 𝜕𝑥𝑖

Now, define the Lagrangian: 𝐿 = 𝑇 − 𝑉

This leads us to the Lagrange’s equations in Cartesian

coordinates for conservative force field:
𝑑 𝜕𝐿 𝜕𝐿
− = 𝐹𝑛𝑐𝑖
𝑑𝑡 𝜕 𝑥ሶ 𝑖 𝜕𝑥𝑖

where, i is taken over all the degrees of freedom.

Lagrange’s equations in Cartesian coordinates

Lagrange’s equations in Cartesian coordinates for conservative force field:

𝑑 𝜕𝐿 𝜕𝐿
− = 𝐹𝑛𝑐𝑖
𝑑𝑡 𝜕 𝑥ሶ 𝑖 𝜕𝑥𝑖
where, i is taken over all the degrees of freedom.

In general, we could have other coordinates, including angles or

polar coordinates. So we use the term “generalized coordinates”
to describe a mix of them.

4
 26-08-2022

Lagrange’s equations in generalized coordinates

Generalized coordinates:
Any set of n independent coordinates such as lengths, angles, or
other that define the configuration of the system at any time
uniquely.

If we have N DOF and k constraints, then the number of independent

DOF are:
n=N-k

Choice of generalized coordinates for a given problem

We could choose the Cartesian
coordinates to describe this system:
𝑥1 , 𝑦1 , 𝑥2 , 𝑦2 , 𝑥3 , 𝑦3
However, out of these SIX coordinates,
only THREE are independent because
we have three constraints:

We could have chosen Here, we have 6 DOF and 3 constraints, so

𝜃1 , 𝜃2 , 𝜃3 as the coordinates the number of independent coordinates
& no need for constraints are: n = 3

5
 26-08-2022

Lagrange’s equations in generalized coordinates

Using 𝑞𝑗 for 𝑗 = 1 𝑡𝑜 𝑛 to represent the generalized

coordinates, the Lagrange’s equations are given by:

𝜕 𝜕𝐿 𝜕𝐿
− = 𝑄𝑗 𝑡
𝜕𝑡 𝜕 𝑞ሶ 𝑗 𝜕𝑞𝑗 for 𝑗 = 1,2, … 𝑛
External and/or
non-conservative force

Remember that potential energy V includes the conservative

forces….
For a conservative force field, the corresponding 𝜕𝑉
force is equal to the negative gradient of potential 𝐹𝑗 = −
𝜕𝑞𝑗
in that direction:

(Non-)conservative forces and Lagrangian

• Forces of constraint which do no work can be ignored because they
will always be perpendicular to allowable motions. Examples:
internal forces in a rigid body, the forces of reaction in friction-less
sliding, and so on.
• Forces which derive from a potential function like gravity or a
spring can be considered in potential energy, V. If you mistakenly
account for a potential force as a non-conservative force, it will work
out just fine in the end, as long as you don’t also account for it in the
potential energy expression.
• Forces which are neither included in the computation of potential
energy nor are workless forces of constraint must be expressed as
non-conservative generalized forces in the Lagrange formulation.
Examples include dissipative forces from dashpots, external
excitations.

6
 26-08-2022

Example: 2 DOF system

Here, the coordinates 𝑥1 and 𝑥2 are also the generalized coordinates.

Example: 2 DOF system

7
 26-08-2022

Example: 2 DOF system

Double pendulum using Lagrange’s method

𝜃1 and 𝜃2 are generalized coordinates.

Kinetic energy in the system is:

Expressing in terms of the two angles:

Potential energy:

8
 26-08-2022

Double pendulum using Lagrange’s method

Lagrangian for the system is given by:

Lagrange’s equations in generalized coordinates are given by:

Double pendulum using Lagrange’s method

Using the expression for Lagrangian (𝐿), we get:

9
 26-08-2022

Double pendulum using Lagrange’s method

Using the expression for Lagrangian (𝐿), we get:

Double pendulum using Lagrange’s method

The governing equations are therefore given by:

For small angles, this system is a linear multi-DOF system.

For large angles, it demonstrates “chaos”.

10
 26-08-2022

A simple pendulum of length b and mass m moves on a mass-less rim of

radius a rotating with constant angular velocity ω (see Figure 1). Get the
equation of motion for the mass.

11
 26-08-2022

Note that for 𝜔 = 0, this equation is same as that for a

simple pendulum.

A bead slides along a smooth wire that has the shape of a parabola
𝑧 = 𝑐𝑟 2 (see Figure 2). At equilibrium, the bead rotates in a circle of radius R
when the wire is rotating about its vertical symmetry axis with angular velocity 𝜔.
Find the value of c .

wire

bead

12
26-08-2022

13
 26-08-2022

Determine the relationship between initial conditions in order to harmonically

excite the following un-damped two degree of freedom system (mass and
stiffness in SI units): 𝑚1 = 2, 𝑚2 = 1, 𝑘1 = 6, 𝑘2 = 3, 𝑘3 = 0. Assume no external
forces are applied on the system, that is, F1 = F2 = 0.

14
26-08-2022

15