D'Alembert's Principle of Virtual Work

[1]
PH 101: PHYSICS 1 Lecture 09
Lecture 09
D’Alembert’s principle of
virtual work;
Virtual work problem;
[2]
Virtual displacement
First let us discuss mathematically
𝒓𝟏 = 𝒓𝟏 𝒒𝟏 , 𝒒𝟐 , … . , 𝒒𝒏 , 𝒕
𝒓𝟐 = 𝒓𝟐 𝒒𝟏 , 𝒒𝟐 , … . , 𝒒𝒏 , 𝒕
𝒓𝒊 = 𝒓𝒊 𝒒𝟏 , 𝒒𝟐 , … . , 𝒒𝒏 , 𝒕
…………………………..
𝒓𝑵 = 𝒓𝑵 𝒒𝟏 , 𝒒𝟐 , … . , 𝒒𝒏 , 𝒕
Taking the differential of the transformation equations ➔
𝑑 𝑟Ԧ𝑖 =
For a virtual displacement, 𝛿𝑟Ԧ𝑖 , time is frozen ➔ dt = 0. Therefore,

[3]
Real vs Virtual displacement
Simple pendulum with a variable string length 𝒍(𝒕) [Time dependent constraint]
x Real displacement of the bob

𝑙 𝑡 + 𝑑𝑡
in time 𝑑𝑡 is given by
= 𝑟(𝑡 + 𝑑𝑡)
d𝑟Ԧ = 𝑟Ԧ 𝑡 + 𝑑𝑡 − 𝑟(𝑡)
Ԧ
𝑙 𝑡 A virtual (infinitesimal) displacement of a system ➔
= 𝑟(𝑡) a change in the configuration of the system as the
d𝑟Ԧ result of any arbitrary infinitesimal change of the
coordinates δr, consistent with the forces and
constraints imposed on the system at the given
y instant t. The displacement is called virtual (different
from an actual displacement of the system occurring in
a time interval dt, during which the forces and
constraints may be changing).
Displacement without allowing time to change -

Seems strange?
[4]
Real vs Virtual displacement
• If the constraint is not time dependent, the real and virtual displacements
match each other.
x
𝑙 𝑡 + 𝑑𝑡
= 𝑟(𝑡 + 𝑑𝑡) A virtual (infinitesimal) displacement is
imagined as “move the system slightly
away from equilibrium position
𝑙 𝑡 arbitrarily but consistent with the
= 𝑟(𝑡)
constraints.
𝑑 𝑟Ԧ = 𝛿 𝑟Ԧ
y
[5]
Virtual work done
Real work done: Work done due to real displacement (𝑑𝑟)
Ԧ of a
particle acted on by total force 𝐹Ԧ is given by
𝑑𝑊 = 𝐹. Ԧ 𝑑 𝑟Ԧ
Similarly, taking an instantaneous displacement (without allowing time

to change), known as virtual displacement (𝛿 𝑟), Ԧ we can write the
virtual (or imaginary) work done as
𝛿𝑊 = 𝐹. Ԧ 𝛿𝑟Ԧ
Not to confuse: ‘Virtual work’ is different from ‘Real work’, as

virtual displacement is imagined without allowing time to change.
If time is not allowed to change, no real displacement (𝑑𝑟)

Ԧ is possible
and hence no real work (𝑑𝑊) is possible without allowing time to
change.
[6]
Virtual work by constraint forces
Total virtual work done by all the constraint forces
Now, ‘virtual displacement’ is instantaneous, imaginary displacement consistence with constraint

relation. To keep the imaginary displacement, consistence with constraints at a given moment, either
each individual terms within this summation is zero or summation is zero as a whole (even if
individual terms are non-zero).
σ𝑵
𝒊=𝟏 𝒇 𝒊𝒄 ∙ 𝜹𝒓𝒊 =0
Example:
Constraint force i.e. reaction force, is perpendicular to the possible
𝒇𝒊𝒄= 𝑵
direction of the motion
The virtual work done will be zero.
[7]
Virtual work done by constraint forces
Example: Dumbbell, Two masses
(x2, y2) 𝑟Ԧ1 (x1, y1) = x1 ෝ
𝒙 + y1 ෝ
𝒚
𝐹21 𝑟Ԧ2 (x2, y2) = x2 ෝ
𝒙 + y2 ෝ
𝒚
d
Constraint Equation:
(x1 – x2)2 + (y1 – y2)2 =d2
𝐹12
2(x1 – x2) (dx1 – dx2) + 2(y1 – y2) (dy1 – dy2) =0
(x1, y1)
(𝑟Ԧ1 – 𝑟Ԧ2 ) . (d𝑟Ԧ1 – d𝑟Ԧ2 ) =0

𝑟Ԧ12 . d𝑟Ԧ12 = 0
𝐹Ԧ12 = −𝐹Ԧ21∝ 𝑟Ԧ12 ⇒ 𝐹Ԧ12 . 𝑟12 = 0
Means the displacement 𝑟12 has to be perpendicular to constraint forces
Constraint forces do not do any work. Even if dumbbell is moving in the space.
[8]
x
𝑧1 𝑇
𝑇 𝑧2
𝛿 𝑟Ԧ
𝑇
𝑚1
y
For imaginary displacement, consistence
𝑚2
with constraints at a given moment, the
virtual displacement must be ⊥ to
constraint force. 𝑓Ԧ𝑖𝑐 ∙ 𝛿 𝑟Ԧ𝑖 = 𝑇 ∙ 𝛿 𝑟Ԧ = 0
To keep the imaginary displacement, consistence
with constraints at a given moment, the virtual
displacement must be chosen along the z – direction.
𝑧Ԧ1 + 𝑧Ԧ2 = Constant; Constrain equation; 𝛿 𝑧Ԧ2 = −𝛿 𝑧Ԧ1
In this case constraint

forces are parallel
unlike the dumbbell.
Total virtual work is = 𝑻𝜹𝒛𝟏 − 𝑻𝜹𝒛𝟏 = 𝟎
is still zero.
Note: Individual term is not zero.
[9]
Example:
𝑑 𝑟Ԧ = dr(cosθ0 ෝ𝒙 + sinθ0 ෝ𝒚) +vdt ෝ𝒙

𝒇𝒊𝒄= 𝑵
𝑵=N (-sinθ0 ෝ
𝒙 + cosθ0 ෝ
𝒚) v
Work done =𝑵. 𝑑 𝑟Ԧ = −vdt N sinθ0
𝑟Ԧ
δ𝑟Ԧ = dr(cosθ0 ෝ
𝒙 + sinθ0 ෝ
𝒚); As dt=0 for virtual
displacement θ0
Virtual Work =𝑵. δ𝑟Ԧ = 0
[10]
Virtual work done for a system of particles
Consider a system of particles and 𝐹Ԧ1, 𝐹Ԧ2, …, 𝐹Ԧ𝑁 are the forces on 1, 2,
. . . Nth particles, then
Total virtual work done can be written as, 𝛿𝑊 = σ𝑁 Ԧ
𝑖=1 𝐹𝑖 . 𝛿 𝑟Ԧ𝑖
Here, force on each particle, 𝐹Ԧ𝑖 is the sum of external force and also
forces of constraints. 𝐹Ԧ𝑖 = 𝐹Ԧ𝑖𝑒 + 𝑓Ԧ𝑖𝑐
Where,
❖ 𝐹Ԧ𝑖𝑒 is the external applied force on 𝑖𝑡ℎ particle.
❖ 𝑓Ԧ𝑖𝑐 is the constraint force 𝟎
𝒇𝒊𝒄 → Constraint force on 𝑖𝑡ℎ particle

[11]
Virtual Work problem for static cases: Example 01
A plane pendulum in equilibrium, as shown in the Figure below, is made by attaching a
massless string of fixed length l to a bob of mass m. How many degrees of freedom
does it have? What are the constraints on its motion? Find the force F required to keep
the pendulum in equilibrium at an angle .
x
O
 l
m
y F
For static case

Total virtual work done can be written as
𝛿𝑊 = σ𝑁 Ԧ
𝑖=1 𝐹𝑖 . 𝛿 𝑟Ԧ𝑖 =0
[12]
Step-1: Find the degrees of freedom and choose suitable
generalized coordinates.
O x
 The bob of a pendulum requires two numbers, i.e., x
 l and y, as z = 0 (Constraint 1).
T  Another constraint is the length of the string is
unchanged. Hence, 𝑥 2 + 𝑦2 − 𝑙 2 = 0. (Constraint 2)
m This reduces the DoF by 01.
y F  Thus, the total DoF comes out to be = 3×1 – 2 = 1.
 The position of the bob can be fully described using
mg one generalized coordinate, .
Step-2: Find out transformation Step-3: Adapting virtual displacement.
relations
 If the pendulum is provided a virtual
𝑥 = 𝑙 sin 𝜃; 𝑦 = 𝑙 cos 𝜃 displacement, i.e.,  → + ➔
𝛿𝑥 = 𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃𝛿𝜃 & 𝛿𝑦 = −𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝛿𝜃
Step-4: Virtual work concept.
Step-5: Solve to obtain the final results
 The total virtual work done by
the external forces vanishes at 𝐹. (𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃𝛿𝜃) + 𝑚𝑔. (−𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝛿𝜃) = 0
equilibrium. (𝐹. 𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑚𝑔𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃)𝛿𝜃 = 0
𝐹. 𝛿𝑥 + 𝑚𝑔. 𝛿𝑦 = 0 𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑚𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑔 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃
[13]
Hinges C
Two external forces Weight, W and horizontal
Rigid force P
rods
W (x,0)
B
A α P
Fixed end Can move in horizontal

direction end
𝑾 ∙ 𝜹𝒓𝒄 + 𝑷 ∙ 𝜹𝒓𝑩 = 0 𝜹𝒓𝑨 = 𝟎 If coordinate of B (x,0) then C ( x/2, [d2-(x/2)2 ] 1/2)
𝒓𝑩 = 𝒙 ෝ
𝒙 𝒓𝑪 = 𝒙/𝟐ෝ
𝒙 + [d2-(x/2)2 ]1/2 ෝ
𝒚 𝜹𝒓𝑩 = 𝒅𝒙ෝ
𝒙
𝒅𝒙 𝒙
𝜹𝒓𝑪 = ෝ
𝒙− [d2-(x/2)2 ]-1/2 ෝ
𝒚 𝑾 = −𝑾ෝ
𝒚; 𝑷 = -P ෝ
𝒙
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙 2
𝑾 ∙ 𝜹𝒓𝒄 + 𝑷 ∙ 𝜹𝒓𝑩 = 0 =W 𝟐
[d -(x/2)2 ]-1/2 dx - Pdx
P=1/2 cot α W

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[1]

PH 101: PHYSICS 1 Lecture 09

For a virtual displacement, 𝛿𝑟Ԧ𝑖 , time is frozen ➔ dt = 0. Therefore,

x Real displacement of the bob

Displacement without allowing time to change -

Similarly, taking an instantaneous displacement (without allowing time

Not to confuse: ‘Virtual work’ is different from ‘Real work’, as

If time is not allowed to change, no real displacement (𝑑𝑟)

Total virtual work done by all the constraint forces

Now, ‘virtual displacement’ is instantaneous, imaginary displacement consistence with constraint

(𝑟Ԧ1 – 𝑟Ԧ2 ) . (d𝑟Ԧ1 – d𝑟Ԧ2 ) =0

𝐹Ԧ12 = −𝐹Ԧ21∝ 𝑟Ԧ12 ⇒ 𝐹Ԧ12 . 𝑟12 = 0

Means the displacement 𝑟12 has to be perpendicular to constraint forces

In this case constraint

𝑑 𝑟Ԧ = dr(cosθ0 ෝ𝒙 + sinθ0 ෝ𝒚) +vdt ෝ𝒙

𝒇𝒊𝒄 → Constraint force on 𝑖𝑡ℎ particle

For static case

Fixed end Can move in horizontal

𝑾 ∙ 𝜹𝒓𝒄 + 𝑷 ∙ 𝜹𝒓𝑩 = 0 𝜹𝒓𝑨 = 𝟎 If coordinate of B (x,0) then C ( x/2, [d2-(x/2)2 ] 1/2)

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