Theoretical Mechanics

The objective of this monograph is to present some methodological foundations of theoretical mechanics that are recommendable to graduate students prior to, or jointly with, the study of more advanced topics such as statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, and elementary particle physics. A program of this nature is inevitably centered on the methodological foundations for Newtonian systems, with particular reference to the central equations of our theories, that is, Lagrange's and Hamilton's equations. This program, realized through a study of the analytic representations in terms of Lagrange's and Hamilton's equations of generally nonconservative Newtonian systems (namely, systems with Newtonian forces not necessarily derivable from a potential function), falls within the context of the so-called Inverse Problem, and consists of three major aspects: I. The study of the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a Lagrangian or Hamiltonian representation of given equations of motion with arbitrary forces; 1. The identification of the methods for the construction of a Lagrangian or Hamiltonian from the given equations of motion; and 3. The analysis of the significance of the underlying methodology for other aspects of Newtonian Mechanics, e. g. , transformation theory, symmetries, and first integrals for nonconservative Newtonian systems. This first volume is devoted to the foundations of the Inverse Problem, with particular reference to aspects I and 2.

This is a textbook written for use in a graduate-level course for students of mechanics and engineering science. It is designed to cover the essential features of modern variational methods and to demonstrate how a number of basic mathematical concepts can be used to produce a unified theory of variational mechanics. As prerequisite to using this text, we assume that the student is equipped with an introductory course in functional analysis at a level roughly equal to that covered, for example, in Kolmogorov and Fomin (Functional Analysis, Vol. I, Graylock, Rochester, 1957) and possibly a graduate-level course in continuum mechanics. Numerous references to supplementary material are listed throughout the book. We are indebted to Professor Jim Douglas of the University of Chicago, who read an earlier version of the manuscript and whose detailed suggestions were extremely helpful in preparing the final draft. We also gratefully acknowedge that much of our own research work on va ri at i ona 1 theory was supported by the U. S. Ai r Force Offi ce of Scientific Research. We are indebted to Mr. Ming-Goei Sheu for help in proofreading. Finally, we wish to express thanks to Mrs. Marilyn Gude for her excellent and painstaking job of typing the manuscript. This revised edition contains only minor revisions of the first. Some misprints and errors have been corrected, and some sections were deleted, which were felt to be out of date.

After an introduction to basic concepts of mechanics more advanced topics build the major part of this book. Interspersed is a discussion of selected problems of motion. This is followed by a concise treatment of the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian formulation of mechanics, as well as a brief excursion on chaotic motion. The last chapter deals with applications of the Lagrangian formulation to specific systems (coupled oscillators, rotating coordinate systems, rigid bodies).

After an introduction to basic concepts of mechanics more advanced topics build the major part of this book. Interspersed is a discussion of selected problems of motion. This is followed by a concise treatment of the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian formulation of mechanics, as well as a brief excursion on chaotic motion. The last chapter deals with applications of the Lagrangian formulation to specific systems (coupled oscillators, rotating coordinate systems, rigid bodies).

After an introduction to basic concepts of mechanics more advanced topics build the major part of this book. Interspersed is a discussion of selected problems of motion. This is followed by a concise treatment of the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian formulation of mechanics, as well as a brief excursion on chaotic motion. The last chapter deals with applications of the Lagrangian formulation to specific systems (coupled oscillators, rotating coordinate systems, rigid bodies).

This is a textbook written for use in a graduate-level course for students of mechanics and engineering science. It is designed to cover the essential features of modern variational methods and to demonstrate how a number of basic mathematical concepts can be used to produce a unified theory of variational mechanics. As prerequisite to using this text, we assume that the student is equipped with an introductory course in functional analysis at a level roughly equal to that covered, for example, in Kolmogorov and Fomin (Functional Analysis, Vol. I, Graylock, Rochester, 1957) and possibly a graduate-level course in continuum mechanics. Numerous references to supplementary material are listed throughout the book. We are indebted to Professor Jim Douglas of the University of Chicago, who read an earlier version of the manuscript and whose detailed suggestions were extremely helpful in preparing the final draft. He also gratefully acknowledge that much of our own research work on variational theory was supported by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research. He are indebted to Mr. Ming-Goei Sheu for help in proofreading. Finally, we wish to express thanks to Mrs. Marilyn Gude for her excellent and pains­ taking job of typing the manuscript. J. T. ODEN J. N. REDDY Table of Contents PREFACE 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Role of Variational Theory in Mechanics. 1 1.2 Some Historical Comments ……… . 2 1.3 Plan of Study …………… . 5 7 2. MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CLASSICAL VARIATIONAL THEORY 7 2.1 Introduction .

The pioneering and wide-ranging research of A. E. Green–one of the outstanding British researchers in theoretical and applied mechanics–is the subject of this important new volume. Featuring sixteen up-to-date research papers written