Advanced Structural Analysis with Dynamics

Kinematics of a particle

Dr Christoforos Dimopoulos
Lecturer in Civil Engineering | Teesside University
 Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lecture you will be able to:

1. Appreciate different types of motion of a particle.
2. Appreciate kinematics theory for each motion type
3. Apply dynamic’s theory to estimate the kinematics of a particle in
motion.
 Sources

Please refer to this publication for more information,

theory and examples.

Hibbeler RC (2017), ‘Engineering Mechanics – Dynamics’, 14th edn, Pearson Education.

 Introduction

Mechanics:The study of how bodies react to forces acting on them.

Static – studies the bodies that are in equilibrium (or constant velocity)

Dynamics – deals with accelerated motion of a body

Kinematics – treats with geometric aspects of the motion (e.g., position, distance,
speed, velocity, acceleration)

Kinetics – analysis of the forces causing the motion (e.g.: force, moment, impulse,
momentum)
 DYNAMICS
Dynamics is a sub-discipline of mechanics just like statics. However,
unlike statics, dynamics investigates the behaviour of bodies under
acceleration.

S=W
Statics
?
What about
when the
S: String force pendulum is
under motion

W: Weight
DYNAMICS
• Distance travelled.
• Distance to stop a moving vehicle.
• Time to reach a destination.

• Initial thrust necessary to send

the rocket in space.
• Also, to an appropriate height
to maintain it’s motion without
returning back on earth.

Impact problems, for example estimating:

• The distance of a pile driven within sand.
• The velocity and direction of a cue ball after
an impact.
• The compression of a spring after collision
with a falling block.
 Particle vs Rigid Body Dynamics

Dynamics of a Particle Dynamics of Rigid Bodies

• The body has a mass but no • The body size or shape is to be

consideration of its size and considered
shape
• Rotation of a body about its mass
• Rotation of a body about its centre is accounted for
mass centre is neglected
 Types of motion
Rectilinear Kinematics
o Continuous Motion (motion variables described
by a single continuous function).
o Erratic Motion (motion variables described by a
series of continuous function).
 Rectilinear Kinematics
Continuous Motion

Study of the motion of a particle travelling in a linear path

(continuous case)
 Rectilinear Kinematics: Continuous Motion
• Position s: Location of where a particle is.
• Displacement Δs: Change in position.
• Distance sT: Total length of the path travelled.

Δs = 𝑠𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡

𝑠𝑇 = 𝑠𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡
 Rectilinear Kinematics: Continuous Motion

POSITION
B O A
• Use a single coordinate axis, s or x s
-2 -1 O 1 2
• The origin is fixed at O Right of O
Left of O
s A = +2 m
s A = −1 m

▪ Displacement: Δs = 𝑠𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡 = 𝑠 ′−𝑠

= −1 − 2 = −3𝑚

▪ Distance travelled, sT is the total length of path over which the particle
travels
𝑠𝑇 = 𝑠𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡 = 1 + 2 = 3𝑚
 Rectilinear Kinematics: Continuous Motion
VELOCITY
s
vavg =
The average velocity is : t
B A
The instantaneous velocity is defined s
as: -2 -1 O 1 2
 +  ds If a particle moves from position A to B within 2
→ v = secs,
  dt Δs
𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑔 = = …
Δ𝑡
Magnitude of velocity is speed (unit Negative value because the particle is moving
m/s) the left.
𝑠𝑇
𝑣𝑠𝑝 = =⋯
Average speed is (v ) =
sT Speed: 𝑎𝑣𝑔 Δ𝑡
t
sp avg
 Rectilinear Kinematics: Continuous Motion
ACCELERATION
v v − v
▪ It is the rate of change of velocity aavg = =
t t

• Instantaneous acceleration at time t is:

 
+ dv  +  d 2s
→ a= →
 
  a= 2
dt dt

a Positive particle speeding

a Negative particle slowing down (deceleration)
a Zero velocity is constant
 Rectilinear Kinematics: Continuous Motion

Recall that:
ds dv
v= and a= Kinematic Equation 2
dt dt
Kinematic Equation 1
Show that from both equations, we can a ds = v dv
have
Kinematic Equation 3

These three kinematic equations are very useful when the

motion of a particle w.r.t time is known!!!!
 Example
Example: Given that s(t ) = t 2 − 6t + 5
Known time functions:
𝑣=⋯
s(t ) v(t ) = s(t ) 𝑎=⋯
a (t ) = v(t )

Position, velocity and acceleration plots of the moving particle for the
first 5 seconds.
6

s [m], υ [m/sec], α [m/sec2]

4

0 Position
0 1 2 3 4 5
Velocity
-2
Acceleration
-4

-6

-8
t [sec]
 Rectilinear Kinematics: Continuous Motion
Constant Acceleration ▪ Velocity as a Function of
Position
• Velocity as a Function of Time Assume that initially v = v0 when s = so.
Assume that initially v = v0 when t = 0.
dv a ds = v dv
v = v0 + act  
+
a= →
dt  
v 2 = vo2 + 2ac (s − so )
▪ Position as a Function of Time  + 
→
Assume that initially s = s0 when t = 0.  

ds
v= 1 2
dt s = s0 + v0t + act  + 
→
2  
 Problem 1: Car in a rectilinear motion

𝑣 = 0.9𝑡 2 + 0.6𝑡 𝑚 Τ𝑠

Source: Hibbeler 2016 (Example 12.1)

 General Curvilinear Motion
Curvilinear motion occurs when the particle moves along a
curved path.
• The expectation is to study the particle motion (find r, s, v, a).
• The analysis of the motion is made based on a pre-defined coordinate
system, depending on the nature of the problem.

Rectangular Normal & Tangential Cylindrical

 Curvilinear Motion (General)
Position: defined by r = r(t) (position vector)
Displacement, Δr = r’ - r Average velocity Δ𝒓
𝒗𝑎𝑣𝑔 =
within a interval Δt, Δ𝑡

P
s Instantaneous velocity v=
dr
dt
r Δr
Direction of instantaneous velocity is always
tangent to the curve.
O r’ P’
ds
Speed =
Magnitude & direction of position change dt
as the particle moves along the curve.
Bold letters refer to vectors.
Normal letters are scalars.
 Curvilinear Motion (General)

Acceleration
Average acceleration within an interval Δt, aavg = Δ𝒗
Δ𝑡

Instantaneous dv Or it can be written d 2r

a= a= 2
acceleration dt as dt

▪ Direction of acceleration is NOT tangent to the curve.

 Curvilinear Motion (normal & tangential)
Planar Motion
Consider particle P which is moving in a plane along a fixed curve, such
that at a given instant it is at position s, measured from point O

▪ t axis is tangent to the curve at P and is

positive in the direction of increasing s
unit vector ut
▪ n axis is normal to the curve at P and
𝒖𝒕 is positive in the direction towards
centre of curvature O’
unit vector un
 Curvilinear Motion (normal & tangential)
Velocity.
Acceleration
• Particle’s velocity v has direction that
a = at ut + anun
is always tangent to the path.
v = vu t where at = v at ds = vdv
v = s v2
an = Radius of
 curvature

[1 + (dy / dx)2 ]3 / 2
=
d 2 y / dx 2

Magnitude of acceleration is
a = at2 + an2
𝒗 velocity
with magnitude v
 Curvilinear Motion (normal & tangential)
A tangential component of acceleration occurs when the particle’s
speed is increased or decreased.

• If speed is constant, at = v = 0 and a = an = v 2 / 

• If at constant, v = vo + at t
1 2
s = so + vot + at t
2
v 2 = vo2 + 2at (s − so )

A normal component of acceleration is the result of the time rate of

change in the direction of the particle’s velocity
 Problem 2: Race car in a circular motion
Normal & Tangential components
Race car C travels round the horizontal circular track that has a radius of 90 m. If the
car increases its speed at a constant rate of 2.1 m/s2, starting from rest, determine the
time needed for it to reach an acceleration of 2.4 m/s2. What is its speed at this
instant?

Source: Hibbeler 2016 (12.15)

End of presentation