A Digital Computer Approach to the Unsymmetric Rigid Body Problem.

Abstract

The use of a computer approximation technique based on trial functions is investigated for the integration of the Euler equations of motion for a general rigid body rotating about a fixed point. The collocation method is evaluated against a Runge Kutta method for several cases consisting of various moments of inertia and applied torques. The collocation method includes two and four term polynomial trial functions which represent the angular velocities of the rigid body over intervals of time. The results of the methods are evaluated graphically against two known solutions and five other cases. The collocation method yields superior results to the Runge Kutta method. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1982
Accession Number
ADA113572

Entities

People

  • Richard W. Jacobs

Organizations

  • Wright Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aeronautical Laboratories
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Computational Science
  • Computer Programs
  • Computer Simulations
  • Computers
  • Differential Equations
  • Digital Computers
  • Engineering
  • Equations
  • Equations Of Motion
  • Euler Equations
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Runge Kutta Method
  • Spacecraft

Fields of Study

  • Mathematics

Readers

  • Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics