Double Pendulum

Josh Altic

May 15, 2008

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

Position

x1 x2
O

1
L1

x1 = L1 sin(1 )
x2 = L1 sin(1 ) + L2 sin(2 ) y1 m1
L2
y1 = L1 cos(1 ) 2
m2
y2 = L1 cos(1 ) L2 cos(2 )

y2

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

Potential Energy: the sum of the potential energy of each
mass

P = m1 gy1 + m2 gy2

P = m1 gL1 cos(1 ) m2 g (L1 cos(1 ) + L2 cos(2 ))

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

Kinetic Energy in General

We know that
K = 1/2mv 2 .

Which brings us to

K = 1/2m(x 2 + y 2 ).

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

Kinetic Energy in the double pendulum system

K = 1/2m1 (x12 + y12 ) + 1/2m2 (x22 + y22 ).

position: differentiating:

x1 = L1 sin(1 ) x1 = L1 cos(1 )1
x2 = L1 sin(1 ) + L2 sin(2 ) x2 = L1 cos(1 )1 + L2 cos(2 )2
y1 = L1 cos(1 ) y1 = L1 sin(1 )1
y2 = L1 cos(1 ) L2 cos(2 ) y2 = L1 sin(1 )1 + L2 sin(2 )2

K = 1/2m1 12 L21 + 1/2m2 [12 L21 + 22 L22 + 21 L1 1 L2 cos(1 2 )].

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

Lagrangian in General

The Lagrangian(L) of a system is defined to be the difference of

the kinetic energy and the potential energy.

L = K P.

For the Lagrangian of a system this Euler-Lagrange differential

equation must be true:
 
d L L
=0
dt

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

the Lagrangian of our double pendulum system

K = 1/2m1 12 L21 + 1/2m2 [12 L21 + 22 L22 + 21 L1 2 L2 cos(1 2 )].

P = (m1 + m2 )gL1 cos(1 ) m2 L2 g cos(2 )

In our case the Lagrangian is

L = 1/2(m1 + m2 )L21 12 + 1/2m2 L22 22 + m2 L1 L2 1 2 cos(1 + 2 )+

(m1 + m2 )gL1 cos(1 ) + m2 L2 g cos(2 ).

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

Partials of the Lagrangian for 1

L = 1/2(m1 + m2 )L21 12 + 1/2m2 L22 22 + m2 L1 L2 1 2 cos(1 2 )+

(m1 + m2 )gL1 cos(1 ) + m2 L2 g cos(2 )

Thus:
L
= L1 g (m1 + m2 ) sin(1 ) m2 L1 L2 1 2 sin(1 2 )
1

L
= (m1 + m2 )L21 1 + m2 L1 L2 2 cos(1 2 )
1
 
d L
= (m1 + m2 )L21 1 + m2 L1 L2 2 cos(1 2 )
dt 1
m2 L1 L2 2 sin(1 2 )(1 2 )

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

Substituting into the Euler-Lagrange Equation

 
d L L
=0
dt

(m1 + m2 )L21 1 + m2 L1 L2 2 cos(1 2 ) + m2 L1 L2 22 sin(1 2 )+

gL1 (m1 + m2 ) sin(1 ) = 0

Simplifying and Solving for 1 :

m2 L2 2 cos(1 2 ) m2 L2 22 sin(1 2 ) (m1 + m2 )g sin(1 )

1 =
(m1 + m2 )L1

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

Partials for 2
Once again the Lagrangian of the system is

L = 1/2(m1 + m2 )L21 12 + 1/2m2 L22 22 + m2 L1 L2 1 2 cos(1 2 )+

(m1 + m2 )gL1 cos(1 ) + m2 L2 g cos(2 )

L
= m2 L1 L2 1 2 sin(1 2 ) L2 m2 g sin(2 )
2

L
= m2 L22 2 + m2 L1 L2 1 cos(1 2 )
2
 
d L
= m2 L22 2 + m2 L1 L2 1 cos(1 2 )
dt 2
m2 L1 L2 1 sin(1 2 )(1 2 )
Josh Altic Double Pendulum
Substituting into the Euler-Lagrange equation for 2

 
d L L
=0
dt

L2 2 + L1 1 cos(1 2 ) L1 12 sin(1 2 ) + g sin(2 ) = 0.

L1 1 cos(1 2 ) + L1 12 sin(1 2 ) g sin(2 )

2 = .
L2

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

two dependent differential equations

We now have two equations that both have 1 and 2 in them.

m2 L2 2 cos(1 2 ) m2 L2 22 sin(1 2 ) (m1 + m2 )g sin(1 )

1 =
(m1 + m2 )L1

L1 1 cos(1 2 ) + L1 12 sin(1 2 ) g sin(2 )

2 = .
L2

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

creating two second order differential equations

m2 L1 12 sin(1 2 ) cos(1 2 ) + gm2 sin(2 ) cos(1 2 )

m2 L2 22 sin(1 2 ) (m1 + m2 )g sin(1 )
1 =
L1 (m1 + m2 ) m2 L1 cos2 (1 2 )

m2 L2 22 sin(1 2 ) cos(1 2 ) + g sin(1 ) cos(1 2 )(m1 + m2 )

+ L1 12 sin(1 2 )(m1 + m2 ) g sin(2 )(m1 + m2 )
2 =
L2 (m1 + m2 ) m2 L2 cos2 (1 2 )

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

converting to a system of first order differential equations

If I define new variables for 1 ,1 ,2 and 2 I can construct a

system of four first order differential equations that I can then
solve numerically.

This gives me differentiating I get

z1 = 1 z1 = 1
z2 = 2 z2 = 2
z3 = 1 z3 = 1
z4 = 2 . z4 = 2 .

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

A system of four first order differential equations

z1 = 1

z2 = 2

m2 L1 z42 sin(z1 z2 ) cos(z1 z2 ) + gm2 sin(z2 ) cos(z1 z2 )

m2 L2 z42 sin(z1 z2 ) (m1 + m2 )g sin(z1 )
z3 = .
L1 (m1 + m2 ) m2 L1 cos2 (z1 z2 )

m2 L2 z42 sin(z1 z2 ) cos(z1 z2 ) + g sin(z1 ) cos(z1 z2 )(m1 + m2 )

+L1 z42 sin(z1 z2 )(m1 + m2 ) g sin(z2 )(m1 + m2 )
z4 = .
L2 (m1 + m2 ) m2 L2 cos2 (z1 z2 )

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

example of cyclical behavior of the system

m1
1.5 m2

1
y1 and y2

0.5

0.5

1.5 1 0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5

x1 and x2
Josh Altic Double Pendulum
example of cyclical behavior of the system

m1
1.5 m2
1

0.5
y1 and y2

0.5

1.5

2
2 1 0 1 2
x1 and x2

Josh Altic Double Pendulum

example of nearly cyclical behavior of the system
2
m1
1.5 m2
1

0.5
y1 and y2

0.5

1.5

2 1 0 1 2
x1 and x2
Josh Altic Double Pendulum
example of nearly cyclical behavior of the system
2
m1
1.5 m2
1

0.5
y1 and y2

0.5

1.5

2 1 0 1 2
x1 and x2
Josh Altic Double Pendulum
Example of Chaotic behavior of the system

m1
1 m2

0.5
y1 and y2

0.5

1.5

2 1 0 1 2
x1 and x2
Josh Altic Double Pendulum