MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, CLASSICAL MODELS
17.2 Motion with Discontinuities of the Rigid Solids. Collisions
The problem of motion with discontinuities of the discrete mechanical systems has be
considered in Chap. 13, §1. In what follows, we will complete these results in case of
the rigid solids, studying the general phenomenon of collision of two arbitrary rigid
solids as well as some interesting particular cases. We put in evidence also the motion
of a rigid solid subjected to the action of a percussive force.
17.2.1 Percussion of Two Rigid Solids
After some general considerations concerning the phenomenon of collision, we present
a basic particular case: the centrical or the oblique collision of two spheres. We
consider then some technical applications which are of interest, as well as the general
case of collision of two rigid solids.
17.2.1.1 General Considerations on the Phenomenon of Collision
The general considerations in Sect. 13.1.1.1 concerning the phenomenon of collision in
case of a discrete mechanical system of particles remain valid in case of a discrete
mechanical system of rigid solids. The basic problem which is put consists in the
determination of the velocities of the points of the rigid solids after collision, assuming
that the corresponding velocities before this mechanical phenomenon are known. As
well, we mark out a phase of compression and a phase of relaxation (restitution), so
that the model of rigid solid is no more sufficient. We use, further, the notion of
percussion, as it has been defined in Chap. 10, Sect.. 1.2.3, starting from the notions of
force and impulse of the generalized force.
Using the results in Sect. 13.1.1.3 and Sect. 14.1.2.1, we can put in evidence the
jump relations corresponding to the discrete mechanical system
S of rigid solids,
reported to an inertial frame of reference
′
R and subjected to the action of given and
constraint, external and internal, percussive and non-percussive forces. By a process of
passing to limit in the sense of the theory of distributions, we express the theorems of
momentum and of motion of the mass centre in the form
()
()
0
0
C
MΔ=Δ =+HvRR,
(17.2.1)
where
()
0
ΔH and
()
0
C
Δv represent the jumps of the momentum of the mechanical
system
S and of the velocity of the mass centre C of this system, respectively, at a
moment of discontinuity, while by R and
R one has denoted the resultants of the given
and constraint external percussions, respectively, which act upon this system at that
moment.
The corresponding jump relation of the moment of momentum will be
()
0
O
OO
Δ=+K MM,
(17.2.2)
where one has denoted by
()
0
O
ΔK the jump of the moment of momentum of the
mechanical system
S , with respect to the fixed pole O, at a moment of discontinuity,
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