Mathematical modelling and theoretical analysis of nonholonomic kinematic systems with a class of rheonomous affine constraints

In this paper, we deal with kinematic control systems subject to a class of rheonomous affine constraints. We first define A-rheonomous affine constraints and explain a geometric representation method for them. Next, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition for complete nonholonomicity of the A-rheonomous affine constraints. Then, a mathematical model of nonholonomic kinematic systems with A-rheonomous affine constraints (NKSARAC), which is included in the class of nonlinear affine control systems, is introduced. Theoretical analysis on linearly-approximated systems and accessibility for the NKSARAC is also shown. Finally, we apply the results to some physical examples in order to confirm the effectiveness of them.     

Nonholonomic Mechanical Systems and Kaluza–Klein Theory

In the first part of the paper we present a new point of view on the geometry of nonholonomic mechanical systems with linear and affine constraints. The main geometric object of the paper is the nonholonomic connection on the distribution of constraints. By using this connection and adapted frame fields, we obtain the Newton forms of Lagrange–d’Alembert equations for nonholonomic mechanical systems with linear and affine constraints. In the second part of the paper, we show that the Kaluza–Klein theory is best presented and explained by using the framework of nonholonomic mechanical systems. We show that the geodesics of the Kaluza–Klein space, which are tangent to the electromagnetic distribution, coincide with the solutions of Lagrange–d’Alembert equations for a nonholonomic mechanical system with linear constraints, and their projections on the spacetime are the geodesics from general relativity. Any other geodesic of the Kaluza–Klein space that is not tangent to the electromagnetic distribution is also a solution of Lagrange–d’Alembert equations, but for affine constraints. In particular, some of these geodesics project exactly on the solutions of the Lorentz force equations of the spacetime.     

Conservation laws, hierarchy of dynamics and explicit integration of nonholonomic systems

This paper can be regarded as a continuation of our previous work [1, 2] on the hierarchy of the dynamical behavior of nonholonomic systems. We consider different mechanical systems with nonholonomic constraints; in particular, we examine the existence of tensor invariants (laws of conservation) and their connection with the behavior of a system. Considerable attention is given to the possibility of conformally Hamiltonian representation of the equations of motion, which is mainly used for the integration of the considered systems.      

On Noisy Extensions of Nonholonomic Constraints

We propose several stochastic extensions of nonholonomic constraints for mechanical systems and study the effects on the dynamics and on the conservation laws. Our approach relies on a stochastic extension of the Lagrange–d’Alembert framework. The mechanical system we focus on is the example of a Routh sphere, i.e., a rolling unbalanced ball on the plane. We interpret the noise in the constraint as either a stochastic motion of the plane, random slip or roughness of the surface. Without the noise, this system possesses three integrals of motion: energy, Jellet and Routh. Depending on the nature of noise in the constraint, we show that either energy, or Jellet, or both integrals can be conserved, with probability 1. We also present some exact solutions for particular types of motion in terms of stochastic integrals. Next, for an arbitrary nonholonomic system, we consider two different ways of including stochasticity in the constraints. We show that when the noise preserves the linearity of the constraints, then energy is preserved. For other types of noise in the constraint, e.g., in the case of an affine noise, the energy is not conserved. We study in detail a class of Lagrangian mechanical systems on semidirect products of Lie groups, with “rolling ball type” constraints. We conclude with numerical simulations illustrating our theories, and some pedagogical examples of noise in constraints for other nonholonomic systems popular in the literature, such as the nonholonomic particle, the rolling disk and the Chaplygin sleigh.     

Energy-Preserving Integrators Applied to Nonholonomic Systems

We introduce energy-preserving integrators for nonholonomic mechanical systems. We will see that the nonholonomic dynamics is completely determined by a triple \(({{\mathcal {D}}}^*, \varPi , \mathcal {H})\), where \({{\mathcal {D}}}^*\) is the dual of the vector bundle determined by the nonholonomic constraints, \(\varPi \) is an almost-Poisson bracket (the nonholonomic bracket) and \( \mathcal {H}: {{\mathcal {D}}}^*\rightarrow \mathbb {R}\) is a Hamiltonian function. For this triple, we can apply energy-preserving integrators, in particular, we show that discrete gradients can be used in the numerical integration of nonholonomic dynamics. By construction, we achieve preservation of the constraints and of the energy of the nonholonomic system. Moreover, to facilitate their applicability to complex systems which cannot be easily transformed into the aforementioned almost-Poisson form, we rewrite our integrators using just the initial information of the nonholonomic system. The derived procedures are tested on several examples: a chaotic quartic nonholonomic mechanical system, the Chaplygin sleigh system, the Suslov problem and a continuous gearbox driven by an asymmetric pendulum. Their performance is compared with other standard methods in nonholonomic dynamics, and their merits verified in practice.

     

Nonholonomic LR Systems as Generalized Chaplygin Systems with an Invariant Measure and Flows on Homogeneous Spaces

We consider a class of dynamical systems on a compact Lie group G with a left-invariant metric and right-invariant nonholonomic constraints (so-called LR systems) and show that, under a generic condition on the constraints, such systems can be regarded as generalized Chaplygin systems on the principle bundle G \to Q = G/H, H being a Lie subgroup. In contrast to generic Chaplygin systems, the reductions of our LR systems onto the homogeneous space Q always possess an invariant measure. We study the case G = SO(n), when LR systems are ultidimensional generalizations of the Veselova problem of a nonholonomic rigid body motion which admit a reduction to systems with an invariant measure on the (co)tangent bundle of Stiefel varieties V(k, n) as the corresponding homogeneous spaces. For k = 1 and a special choice of the left-invariant metric on SO(n), we prove that after a time substitution the reduced system becomes an integrable Hamiltonian system describing a geodesic flow on the unit sphere S^n-1. This provides a first example of a nonholonomic system with more than two degrees of freedom for which the celebrated Chaplygin reducibility theorem is applicable for any dimension. In this case we also explicitly reconstruct the motion on the group SO(n).     

Isomorphism and Hamilton representation of some nonholonomic systems

We consider some questions connected with the Hamiltonian form of the two problems of nonholonomic mechanics: the Chaplygin ball problem and the Veselova problem. For these problems we find representations in the form of the generalized Chaplygin systems that can be integrated by the reducing multiplier method. We give a concrete algebraic form of the Poisson brackets which, together with an appropriate change of time, enable us to write down the equations of motion of the problems under study. Some generalization of these problems are considered and new ways of implementation of nonholonomic constraints are proposed. We list a series of nonholonomic systems possessing an invariant measure and sufficiently many first integrals for which the question about the Hamiltonian form remains open even after change of time. We prove a theorem on isomorphism of the dynamics of the Chaplygin ball and the motion of a body in a fluid in the Clebsch case.     

Poincaré transformations in nonholonomic mechanics

We report on the application of the Poincaré transformation (from the theory of adaptive geometric integrators) to nonholonomic systems—mechanical systems with non-integrable velocity constraints. We prove that this transformation can be used to express the dynamics of certain nonholonomic systems at a fixed energy value in Hamiltonian form; examples and potential applications are also discussed.     

Variational and Geometric Structures of Discrete Dirac Mechanics

In this paper, we develop the theoretical foundations of discrete Dirac mechanics, that is, discrete mechanics of degenerate Lagrangian/Hamiltonian systems with constraints. We first construct discrete analogues of Tulczyjew’s triple and induced Dirac structures by considering the geometry of symplectic maps and their associated generating functions. We demonstrate that this framework provides a means of deriving discrete Lagrange–Dirac and nonholonomic Hamiltonian systems. In particular, this yields nonholonomic Lagrangian and Hamiltonian integrators. We also introduce discrete Lagrange–d’Alembert–Pontryagin and Hamilton–d’Alembert variational principles, which provide an alternative derivation of the same set of integration algorithms. The paper provides a unified treatment of discrete Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics in the more general setting of discrete Dirac mechanics, as well as a generalization of symplectic and Poisson integrators to the broader category of Dirac integrators.     

Modelling and simulation of a sphere rolling on the inside of a rough vertical cylinder

A classical problem of nonholonomic system dynamics—the motion of a sphere on the inside of a rough vertical cylinder—is extended to rolling friction. The case study is modelled in independent coordinates. Due to the nonholonomic constraints imposed on the sphere, the governing equations arise as a set of differential-algebraic equations. The results of numerical simulations show the transition of the sphere from a sinusoid path on the vertical cylinder surface to a fall with slip. The physics of the ‘paradoxical’ motion is explained in detail.     

Conservation of ‘Moving’ Energy in Nonholonomic Systems with Affine Constraints and Integrability of Spheres on Rotating Surfaces

Energy is in general not conserved for mechanical nonholonomic systems with affine constraints. In this article we point out that, nevertheless, in certain cases, there is a modification of the energy that is conserved. Such a function is the pull-back of the energy of the system written in a system of time-dependent coordinates in which the constraint is linear, and for this reason will be called a ‘moving’ energy. After giving sufficient conditions for the existence of a conserved, time-independent moving energy, we point out the role of symmetry in this mechanism. Lastly, we apply these ideas to prove that the motions of a heavy homogeneous solid sphere that rolls inside a convex surface of revolution in uniform rotation about its vertical figure axis, are (at least for certain parameter values and in open regions of the phase space) quasi-periodic on tori of dimension up to three.     

Feedback Integrators for Nonholonomic Mechanical Systems

The theory of feedback integrators is extended to handle mechanical systems with nonholonomic constraints with or without symmetry, so as to produce numerical integrators that preserve the nonholonomic constraints as well as other conserved quantities. To extend the feedback integrators, we develop a suitable extension theory for nonholonomic systems and also a corresponding reduction theory for systems with symmetry. It is then applied to various nonholonomic systems such as the Suslov problem on \({\text {SO}}(3)\), the knife edge, the Chaplygin sleigh, the vertical rolling disk, the roller racer, the Heisenberg system, and the nonholonomic oscillator.

     

Reduction of almost Poisson brackets for nonholonomic systems on Lie groups

We present a systematic geometric construction of reduced almost Poisson brackets for nonholonomic systems on Lie groups with invariant kinetic energy metric and constraints. Our construction is of geometric interest in itself and is useful in the hamiltonization of some classical examples of nonholonomic mechanical systems.      

A general method for writing the dynamical equations of nonholonomic systems with ideal constraints

The basic notions of the dynamics of nonholonomic systems are revisited in order to give a general and simple method for writing the dynamical equations for linear as well as non-linear kinematical constraints. The method is based on the representation of the constraints by parametric equations, which are interpreted as dynamical equations, and leads to first-order differential equations in normal form, involving the Lagrangian coordinates and auxiliary variables (the use of Lagrangian multipliers is avoided). Various examples are illustrated.      

Dirac reduction for nonholonomic mechanical systems and semidirect products

This paper develops the theory of Dirac reduction by symmetry for nonholonomic systems on Lie groups with broken symmetry. The reduction is carried out for the Dirac structures, as well as for the associated Lagrange–Dirac and Hamilton–Dirac dynamical systems. This reduction procedure is accompanied by reduction of the associated variational structures on both Lagrangian and Hamiltonian sides. The reduced dynamical systems obtained are called the implicit Euler–Poincaré–Suslov equations with advected parameters and the implicit Lie–Poisson–Suslov equations with advected parameters. The theory is illustrated with the help of finite and infinite dimensional examples. It is shown that equations of motion for second order Rivlin–Ericksen fluids can be formulated as an infinite dimensional nonholonomic system in the framework of the present paper.     

Chaplygin ball over a fixed sphere: an explicit integration

We consider a nonholonomic system describing the rolling of a dynamically nonsymmetric sphere over a fixed sphere without slipping. The system generalizes the classical nonholonomic Chaplygin sphere problem and it is shown to be integrable for one special ratio of radii of the spheres. After a time reparameterization the system becomes a Hamiltonian one and admits a separation of variables and reduction to Abel-Jacobi quadratures. The separating variables that we found appear to be a non-trivial generalization of ellipsoidal (spheroconic) coordinates on the Poisson sphere, which can be useful in other integrable problems. Using the quadratures we also perform an explicit integration of the problem in theta-functions of the new time.      

The reaction-annihilator distribution and the nonholonomic Noether theorem for lifted actions

We consider nonholonomic systems with linear, time-independent constraints subject to positional conservative active forces. We identify a distribution on the configuration manifold, that we call the reaction-annihilator distribution ℜ°, the fibers of which are the annihilators of the set of all values taken by the reaction forces on the fibers of the constraint distribution. We show that this distribution, which can be effectively computed in specific cases, plays a central role in the study of first integrals linear in the velocities of this class of nonholonomic systems. In particular we prove that, if the Lagrangian is invariant under (the lift of) a group action in the configuration manifold, then an infinitesimal generator of this action has a conserved momentum if and only if it is a section of the distribution ℜ°. Since the fibers of ℜ° contain those of the constraint distribution, this version of the nonholonomic Noether theorem accounts for more conserved momenta than what was known so far. Some examples are given.      

On the function of hamiltonian action for nonholonomic systems and its application to the investigation of stability

For nonholonomic systems, we introduce the notion of the function of Hamiltonian action, with the use of which we investigate the stability of nonholonomic systems in the case where the equilibrium state under consideration is a critical point of the corresponding Lagrangian (Whittaker system). Institute of Mathematics, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Kiev. Translated from Ukrainskii Matematicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 51, No. 10. pp. 1411–1416, October, 1999.     

带一类第一积分的非完整系统的Szebehely问题

研究非完整系统动力学的一类逆问题·给出非完整系统的运动方程及其显式，考虑一类仅受齐次非完整约束的力学系统的Ｓｚｅｂｅｈｅｌｙ问题，研究已知一类第一积分的一般非完整系统的情形·最后举例说明其应用·