SWINGING GONDOLA - FUN RIDE!

MEEN 363 - SP09 (LSA)

The figure shows a SWINGING GONDOLA (SG) at an amusement park. The gondolas mass and centroidal radius of gyration equal M and r k.. The total mass of the passengers does not affect significantly the magnitudes given above or CG location of SG. Two bars of length L and mass Mb, I b=(1/12) MbL2 , attach the SG CG to a shaft connected to a drive motor. The shaft is supported on frictionless bearings. The motor applies torque Tm turning the bars and lifting the gondola to a release angle o. At this time, the motor is disengaged and the gondola starts to swing, giving a good thrill to its riders. Determine: in terms of the system a) System EOM after the motor is disengaged. Express the angular acceleration parameters & . [10] in b) Given the (large) initial angle o , derive an analytical expression (symbolic) for the SG angular velocity terms of the system parameters, and angles and o . [10] c) Given, M=4000 kg, r k =4 m, L=10 m, M b =0.05 M, and o = 125, calculate, when gondola crosses =0, its angular speed [Hz], and SG CG tangential speed and radial acceleration What is the type of thrill or sensation the riders feel when the SG passes through =0 ? [2.5 x 4]

Data:
o_ := 125 M := 4000 kg Mb := 0.05 M From Tables: (mass moment of inertia) L Ib_cg = Mb 12 bar
2
degree release angle

o
g
O L

L := 10 m rk := 4 m

ISG := M rk

Gondola inertia about its cg Moments of inertia about pivot O: L L Ib_o := Mb + Mb 12 2

2 2

ISG_o := ISG + M L

Ib_o ISG_o

= 0.014

Total Mass moment of inertia about pivot O:

Io := 2 Ib_o + ISG_o
assume: no friction

Equation of motion: L d2 From summation of moments about pivot: Io 2 = M g L sin ( ) 2 Mb g sin ( ) 2 dt Io d2 dt

2

+ g L sin ( ) M + Mb = 0

[2]

d2 dt
2

g L M + Mb Io

) sin ( )
sin ( )

For small amplitude motions, Eqn(2) reduces to: Io d2 dt

2

+ g L M + Mb = 0

[3]

natural frequency, for small amplitude motions:

Disregard bar masses

n := Natural period

g L ( M + Mb) Io
Tn := 2 n

0.5

g 1 na := 2 L rk 1+L
2 L rk Tna := 2 1 + g L

.5

0.5

Tn = 6.764 s
Not much difference if bars are omitted from analysis

Tna = 6.834 s

SOLUTION for SMALL ANGLES - LINEARIZED EOM:

The solution fo the linear EOM (3) is ( t)

= o cos n t + o sin n t d where := o o_ 180 o = dt o = 0

starting from rest. Then and

are initial conditions

since

( t) = o cos n t
from these 2 equations, square both sides

2 2 2

( t) := o n sin n t
2

)
2

= cos ( a)

2 2

= sin ( a)

o
and add both equations to give

o n = o 2
2 2

a = n t

n
Thus, the linearized

solution is

2 2 Lin ( ) := n o

0.5

Find angular speed of gondola for large release angles

From Conservation of Energy, T+V = Vo; since gondola is released from initial angle o with null 2 speed 1 Kinetic energy T = Io d Potential Energy V = M + Mb g L ( 1 cos ( ) ) 2 dt Vo = M + Mb g L 1 cos o

( ))

obtain:

2 M + Mb g L cos ( ) cos o 1 d = 2 dt Io

( )) =

n cos ( ) cos o
2
where

( ))
0.5

Then, the gondola angular speed d /dt=:

g L ( M + Mb) n := Io
in Hz

d = dt

( ) := n 2 cos ( ) cos o

( ))

0.5

f ( ) :=

( ) 2

n fn := 2 fn = 0.148 Hz ( 0) n = 1.774

Tangential speed and normal acceleration at =0 f ( 0) = 0.262 Hz Vt ( ) := L ( ) an ( ) := L ( )

2

Vt ( 0) = 16.479

m s

m an ( 0) = 27.156 2 s

an ( 0) = 2.769 g

rider feels something in his/her tummy! (a weighless sensation)

Graphs: variation of gondola angular speed and radial acceleration for entire ride: o_ = 125 degrees

0.4 Angular speed (Hz) 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

Angular speed of gondola derived from NONLINEAR solution is smaller than using LINEAR solution. The differences increase as the release 125 angle increases Greatest diference when = 180 deg

125

75

25 25 angle (deg)

75

Non linear Linear

3 2 1 0

Normal acceleration/g

125

75

25 25 angle (deg)

75

125