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DYNAMICS - CASE STUDY SOLUTION


Problem Diagram
 

Let the acceleration of the center of gravity of the pendulum be

     acg = axi + ayj  

For simplicity, the FBD and MAD are combined into one diagram. The origin of the x-y axis is placed at the pin support, and the reaction forces of the pin support are labeled. Newton's Second Law can be used to sum the forces in both directions, giving

     ΣFx = Ax = max

     ΣFy = Ay - mg = may

   
    Angular Acceleration

   

The angular acceleration, α, is assumed to go in the counterclockwise direction (if wrong it will be negative). The angular acceleration is the same around any point since the α vector actually points directly out of the screen. Summing the moments about A gives

     ΣMA = IA α

     -mgd sinθ = IA α

or

     

For θ = 0, which is the position requested by the problem, angular acceleration becomes simply

     α(0) = (-1/7.289) (3.17) (32.2) (1.442) sin0 = 0

     
    Reaction Forces

 

The two force equation (Fx and Fy) can be used to find the forces Ax and Ay, but first the acceleration of the center of gravity axi and ayj need to be determined.

The acceleration of the center of gravity of the pendulum can be expressed in terms of the acceleration of the pivot point A as

     acg = aA + α × rcg/A - ω2r

           = axi + ayj  

Because point A is pinned, its acceleration is zero,

     aA = 0

Recall, α(0) = 0, which reduces the equation to

     acg-θ=0 => -ω2r = axi + ayj

To this equation, the angular velocity ω when θ = 0 needs to be determined. Recall that

     

which can be integrated to find an expression for ω giving

     

For θ = 0, the angular velocity becomes

     ω(0) = 1.173 rad/s

     

Relationship Between the
Moment and Acceleration
 

Substituting gives,

     acg-θ=0 = -(1.173)2 (-1.442)j

                 = 1.984j ft/s2 = axi + ayj

Equate like terms,

      ax-θ=0 = 0         ay-θ=0 = 1.984 ft/s2

Substitute back into the initial force equations,

     Fx = Ax = max

     Ax-θ=0 = 0

     Ay-θ=0 = m (ay + g)

                = 3.17 (1.984 + 32.2) = 108.4 lb

     
   
 
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