Variational Principles Cheat Sheet

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P RINCIPLE OF V IRTUAL W ORK

Let F be the forces acting on a system with conguration q. The principle of virtual work states that the system is in equilibrium if and only if F q = 0 where q are reversible, kinematically admissible variations.

Reference: Lanczos, C. [1986], Variational Principles of Mechanics, pp 75-76.

D A LEMBERT S

P RINCIPLE

also known as the Lagrange-dAlembert principle

Let F e be the effective forces on a system, i.e., external forces plus the force of inertia. Then dAlemberts principle states that F e q = 0 at any point in time.

Reference: Lanczos, C. [1986], Variational Principles of Mechanics, pp 88-90.

G AUSS P RINCIPLE OF L EAST C ONSTRAINT

Let Fi , mi , and Ai be the forces, masses, and accelerations of the N particles of a system. Gauss principle states that the trajectory taken by this system is given by the minimum of the quantity
N

Z=
i= 1

1 (Fi mi Ai )2 2mi

among all paths satisying given kinematical constraints.

Reference: Lanczos, C. [1986], Variational Principles of Mechanics, pp 106-110.

H AMILTON S P RINCIPLE

Let L be the Lagrangian of a system; Hamiltons principle states that the physical trajectory taken by that system satises
t1 t2

Ldt = 0

for any pair of times t1 , t2 , where variations are taken with respect to q and are xed at the endpoints.

4.1

E ULER -L AGRANGE E QUATIONS

d L L = , dt q q

Hamiltons principle is extremized by curves satisfying

which are called the Euler-Lagrange equations.

Reference: Lanczos, C. [1986], Variational Principles of Mechanics, pp 111-115.

H AMILTON S P HASE S PACE P RINCIPLE

Let H be the Hamiltonian of a system with conguration q and (generalized) momentum p. Then the trajectory of the system satises
t1 t2

pq H dt = 0

where the q are xed at endpoints.

5.1

H AMILTON S E QUATIONS
H , p H . q

Hamiltons principle is equivalent to Hamiltons equations of motion q =

p =

Reference: Marsden, J. E. and T. S. Ratiu [1999], Introduction to Mechanics and Symmetry, pp. 224-225.

H AMILTON -P ONTRYAGIN P RINCIPLE

Let q, v, and p be the conguration, velocity, and momentum of a system, respectively. The HamiltonPontryagin principle states that the trajectory of the system satises
t1 t2

L(q, v, t) + p(q v) dt = 0

where variations are taken with respect to q, v, and p, but only the endpoints of q are xed.

6.1

I MPLICIT E ULER -L AGRANGE E QUATIONS

L , q L , v

The Hamilton-Pontryagin principle imples that the following relationships hold: p = p=

q = v.

Reference: Yoshimura, H. and J. E. Marsden [2006], Dirac Structures and Lagrangian Mechanics Part II: Variational Structures, J. Geom and Physics 57, 209-250.

L AGRANGE - D A LEMBERT P RINCIPLE

Let F be external forces on a system with conguration q and Lagrangian L. The Lagrange-dAlembert Principle states that the trajectory of the system will satisfy
t2 t1

Ldt +
t1

t2

F q dt = 0

where variations are taken with respect to q and xed at the endpoints.

7.1

F ORCED E ULER -L AGRANGE E QUATIONS

d L L = F. dt q q

The equations of motion extremizing the Lagrange-dAlembert principle are given by

Reference: Bullo, F. and A. D. Lewis [2005], Geometric Control of Mechanical Systems, 193-194.

L AGRANGE - D A LEMBERT-P ONTRYAGIN P RINCIPLE

also known as the dAlembert-Pontryagin or Pontryagin-dAlembert principle.

Let q, v, p, and F be the conguration, velocity, momentum, and external forces of a system, respectively. The trajectory satises
t1 t2

L(q, v, t) + p(q v)dt +

t1

t2

F q dt = 0

for variations of q that vanish at endpoints.

Reference: Yoshimura, H. and J. E. Marsden [2006], Dirac Structures and Lagrangian Mechanics Part II: Variational Structures, J. Geom and Physics 57, 209-250.

8.1

R EDUCED F ORM

Consider a system whose conguration space G is a Lie group with Lie algebra g and Lie coalgebra g , and whose Lagrangian L is left-invariant. Let g G, g, g , and f g be the conguration, body-frame velocity, body-frame angular momentum, and body-xed forces, respectively. Further, let () = L(e, ). Then the reduced Lagrange-dAlembert-Pontryagin principle says that the trajectory of the system will satisfy
t1 t2

() + , g1 g dt +
t1

t2

f , g dt = 0

where variations are taken with respect to g and are xed at the endpoints. (Note that in the absence of contraints, variations g are no different from variations e.)