GYROSCOPIC COUPLE

Introduction
1. When a body moves along a curved path with a
uniform linear velocity, a force in the direction of
centripetal acceleration (known as centripetal
force) has to be applied externally over the body,
so that it moves along the required curved path.
This external force applied is known as active
force.
2. When a body, itself, is moving with uniform linear
velocity along a circular path, it is subjected to the
centrifugal force radially outwards. This
centrifugal force is called reactive force. The
action of the reactive or centrifugal force is to tilt
or move the body along radially outward
direction.
Precessional angular motion
• Consider a disc, as shown revolving or spinning about
the axis OX (known as axis of spin) in anticlockwise
when seen from the front, with an angular velocity ω in
a plane at right angles to the paper.
• After a short interval of time δt, let the disc be spinning
about the new axis of spin OX ′ (at an angle δθ) with an
angular velocity (ω + δω).
• Initial angular velocity of the disc (ω) is represented by
vector ox; and the final angular velocity of the disc (ω +
δω) is represented by vector ox′ as shown .
• The vector xx′ represents the change of angular
velocity in time δt i.e. the angular acceleration of the
disc.
• This may be resolved into two components, one
parallel to ox and the other perpendicular to ox.
• The angular velocity of the axis of spin (i.e.
dθ/dt) is known as angular velocity of
precession and is denoted by ωP .
• The axis, about which the axis of spin is to
turn, is known as axis of precession.
• The angular acceleration αc is known as
gyroscopic acceleration.
Gyroscopic couple
• Consider a disc spinning with an angular velocity
ω rad/s about the axis of spin OX, in anticlockwise
direction when seen from the front, as shown.
• Since the plane in which the disc is rotating is
parallel to the plane YOZ, therefore it is called
plane of spinning.
• The axis of spin is said to be rotating or
processing about an axis OY (which is
perpendicular to both the axes OX and OZ) at an
angular velocity ωP rad/s.
• This horizontal plane XOZ is called plane of
precession and OY is the axis of precession.
Let I = Mass moment of inertia of the disc about OX,
and ω = Angular velocity of the disc
∴ Angular momentum of the disc = I. ω
Angular momentum of the disc may be represented
by the vector ox.
Let the axis OX is turned in the plane XOZ through a
small angle δθ radians to the position OX ′, in time
δt seconds.
Assuming the angular velocity ω to be constant, the
angular momentum will now be represented by
vector ox′.
where ωP = Angular velocity of precession of the axis of spin
• The plane XOY is called the plane of active
gyroscopic couple and the axis OZ perpendicular
to the plane XOY, about which the couple acts, is
called the axis of active gyroscopic couple.
• When the axis of spin itself moves with angular
velocity ωP , the disc is subjected to reactive
couple whose magnitude is same (i.e. I.ω.ωP ) but
opposite in direction to that of active couple.
• This reactive couple to which the disc is subjected
when the axis of spin rotates about the axis of
precession is known as reactive gyroscopic
couple.
• The axis of the reactive gyroscopic couple is
represented by OZ′.
• The gyroscopic principle is used in an
instrument known as gyroscope.
• The gyroscopes are installed in ships in order
to minimize the rolling and pitching effects of
waves.
• They are also used in aero planes.
• A uniform disc of diameter 300 mm and of
mass 5 kg is mounted on one end of an arm of
length 600 mm. The other end of the arm is
free to rotate in a universal bearing. If the disc
rotates about the arm with a speed of 300
r.p.m. clockwise, looking from the front, with
what speed will it precess about the vertical
axis?
Effect of the gyroscopic couple on an
aero plane
• Let engine or propeller rotates in the clockwise
direction when seen from the rear or tail end and the
aero plane takes a turn to the left.
• Before taking the left turn, the angular momentum
vector is represented by ox.
• When it takes left turn, the active gyroscopic couple
will change the direction of the angular momentum
vector from ox to ox′ as shown .
• The vector xx′, represents the change of angular
momentum or the active gyroscopic couple and is
perpendicular to ox.
• For left hand turning, the active gyroscopic
couple on the aero plane in the axis OZ will be
clockwise as shown .
• 1.The reactive gyroscopic couple (equal in
magnitude of active gyroscopic couple) will
act in the opposite direction (i.e. in the
anticlockwise direction) and the effect of this
couple is, to raise the nose and dip the tail of
the aero plane.
• 2. When the aero plane takes a right turn under
similar conditions as discussed above, the effect of
the reactive gyroscopic couple will be to dip the
nose and raise the tail of the aero plane.
• 3. When the engine or propeller rotates in
anticlockwise direction when viewed from the rear
or tail end and the aero plane takes a left turn, then
the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will be to
dip the nose and raise the tail of the aero plane.
• 4. When the aero plane takes a right turn under
similar conditions as mentioned in note 2 above,
the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will be to
raise the nose and dip the tail of the aero plane.
• An airplane makes a complete half circle of 50
meters radius, towards left, when flying at 200
km per hr. The rotary engine and the propeller
of the plane has a mass of 400 kg and a radius
of gyration of 0.3 m. The engine rotates at 2400
r.p.m. clockwise when viewed from the rear.
Find the gyroscopic couple on the aircraft and
state its effect on it.
Terms used in a naval ship
• The fore end of the ship is called bow and the
rear end is known as stern or aft.
• The left hand and right hand sides of the ship,
when viewed from the stern are called port
and star-board respectively.
• The effect of gyroscopic couple on the naval
ship in the following three cases
1. Steering, 2. Pitching, and 3. Rolling.
Effect of gyroscopic couple on a naval
ship during steering
Steering

• Steering is the turning of a complete ship in a

curve towards left or right, while it moves
forward.
• Consider the ship taking a left turn, and rotor
rotates in the clockwise direction when viewed
from the stern, as shown.
• The effect of gyroscopic couple on a naval ship
during steering taking left or right turn may be
obtained in the similar way as for an aero plane.
• When the rotor of the ship rotates in the clockwise
direction when viewed from the stern, it will have its
angular momentum vector in the direction ox as
shown.
• As the ship steers to the left, the active gyroscopic
couple will change the angular momentum vector from
ox to ox′. The vector xx′ now represents the active
gyroscopic couple and is perpendicular to ox.
• Thus the plane of active gyroscopic couple is
perpendicular to xx′ and its direction in the axis OZ for
left hand turn is clockwise as shown.
• The reactive gyroscopic couple of the same magnitude
will act in the opposite direction (i.e. in anticlockwise
direction).
• When the ship steers to the left the effect of reactive
gyroscopic couple is to raise the bow and lower the
stern.
• When the ship steers to the right under similar
conditions as discussed above, the effect of the
reactive gyroscopic couple, will be to raise the stern
and lower the bow.
• When the rotor rotates in the anticlockwise direction,
when viewed from the stern and the ship is steering to
the left, then the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple
will be to lower the bow and raise the stern.
• When the ship is steering to the right under similar
conditions the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will
be to raise the bow and lower the stern.
• The turbine rotor of a ship has a mass of 8
tones and a radius of gyration 0.6 m. It rotates
at 1800 r.p.m. clockwise, when looking from
the stern. Determine the gyroscopic couple, if
the ship travels at 100 km/hr and steer to the
left in a curve of 75 m radius.
• Given: m = 8 t = 8000 kg ; k = 0.6 m ; N = 1800 r.p.m. or ω =
2π × 1800/60 = 188.5 rad/s ; v = 100 km/h = 27.8 m/s ; R = 75
m
• Mass moment of inertia of the rotor, I = m.k^2 = 8000 (0.6)2 =
2880 kg-m^2
• Angular velocity of precession, ωP = v/R = 27.8 / 75 = 0.37
rad/s
• We know that gyroscopic couple, C = I.ω.ωP = 2880 × 188.5 ×
0.37 = 200 866 N-m = 200.866 kN-m Ans.
• When the rotor rotates in clockwise direction when looking
from the stern and the ship steers to the left, the effect of the
reactive gyroscopic couple is to raise the bow and lower the
stern.
Effect of gyroscopic couple on a naval
ship during rolling
• For the effect of gyroscopic couple to occur, the
axis of precession should always be perpendicular
to the axis of spin.
• If the axis of precession becomes parallel to the
axis of spin, there will be no effect of the
gyroscopic couple acting on the body of the ship.
• In case of rolling of a ship, the axis of precession
(i.e. longitudinal axis) is always parallel to the axis
of spin for all positions. Hence, there is no effect
of the gyroscopic couple acting on the body of a
ship.
Effect of gyroscopic couple on a naval
ship during pitching
• Pitching is the movement of a complete ship
up and down in a vertical plane about
transverse axis.
• In this case, the transverse axis is the axis of
precession.
• The pitching of the ship is assumed to take
place with simple harmonic motion i.e. the
motion of the axis of spin about transverse
axis is simple harmonic.
• When the pitching is upward, the effect of the
reactive gyroscopic couple, will try to move
the ship towards star-board.

• If the pitching is downward, the effect of the

reactive gyroscopic couple is to turn the ship
towards port side.
• The mass of the turbine rotor of a ship is 20
tonnes and has a radius of gyration of 0.60 m. Its
speed is 2000 r.p.m. The ship pitches 6°above and
6° below the horizontal position. A complete
oscillation takes 30seconds and the motion is
simple harmonic. Determine the following
• 1.Maximum gyroscopic couple,
• 2.Maximum angular acceleration of the ship
during pitching, and
• 3.The direction in which the bow will tend to turn
when rising, if the rotation of the rotor is
clockwise when looking from the rear end.
• Given : m = 20 t = 20000 kg ; k = 0.6 m ; N = 2000
r.p.m. or ω = 2π × 2000/60 = 209.5 rad/s; φ = 6° = 6
× π/180 = 0.105 rad ; tp = 30s
• We know that mass moment of inertia of the rotor, I
= m.k^2 = 20 000 (0.6)^2 = 7200 kg-m^2
• And angular velocity of the simple harmonic motion,
ω1 = 2π / t p = 2π/30 = 0.21 rad/s
• ∴ Maximum angular velocity of precession,
ωPmax = φ.ω1 = 0.105 × 0.21 = 0.022 rad/s
• We know that maximum gyroscopic couple,
• 1. Maximum gyroscopic couple
Cmax = I.ω.ωPmax = 7200 × 209.5 × 0.022 =33185 N-m
= 33.185 kN-m Ans
• 2.Maximum angular acceleration during pitching
We know that maximum angular acceleration
during pitching = φ(ω1 )^2 = 0.105(0.21)^2 =
0.0046 rad/s^2
• 3. Direction in which the bow will tend to turn
when rising
• When the rotation of the rotor is clockwise when
looking from rear end or stern and when the bow
is rising (i.e. pitching is upward), then the reactive
gyroscopic couple acts in the clockwise direction
which tends to turn the bow towards right (i.e.
towards star-board). Ans.
Stability of a four wheel drive moving in
a curved path
• Consider the four wheels A, B, C and D of an
automobile locomotive taking a turn towards left
as shown.
• The wheels A and C are inner wheels, whereas B
and D are outer wheels.
• The center of gravity (C.G.) of the vehicle lies
vertically above the road surface.
• The reaction between each wheel and the road
surface of the same magnitude will act upwards.
• Therefore road reaction over each wheel = W/4 =
mg /4 Newtons
• Due to the gyroscopic couple, vertical reaction
on the road surface will be produced.
• The reaction will be vertically upwards on the
outer wheels and vertically downwards on the
inner wheels.
• Let the magnitude of this reaction at the two
outer or inner wheels be P newtons.
• Then P × x = C or P = C/x
• ∴ Vertical reaction at each of the outer or
inner wheels, P /2 = C/ 2x
• A little consideration will show that when the
vehicle is running at high speeds, Pi may be zero
or even negative.
• This will cause the inner wheels to leave the
ground thus tending to overturn the
automobile.
• In order to have the contact between the inner
wheels and the ground, the sum of P/2 and Q/2
must be less than W/4.
A rear engine automobile is travelling along a track of 100
meters mean radius. Each of the four road wheels has a
moment of inertia of 2.5 kg-m2 and an effective diameter
of 0.6 m. The rotating parts of the engine have a moment
of inertia of 1.2 kg-m2 . The engine axis is parallel to the
rear axle and the crankshaft rotates in the same sense as
the road wheels. The ratio of engine speed to back axle
speed is 3 : 1. The automobile has a mass of 1600 kg and
has its center of gravity 0.5 m above road level. The width
of the track of the vehicle is 1.5 m.
Determine the limiting speed of the vehicle around the
curve for all four wheels to maintain contact with the
road surface. Assume that the road surface is not
cambered and center of gravity of the automobile lies
centrally with respect to the four wheels.
• Given : R = 100 m ; IW = 2.5 kg-m2 ; dW = 0.6 m
or rW = 0.3 m ; IE = 1.2 kg-m2 ; G = ωE /ωW = 3 ;
m = 1600 kg ; h = 0.5 m ; x = 1.5 m
• Road reaction over each wheel = W/4 =
m.g / 4 = 1600 × 9.81/4 = 3924 N
• Due to this gyroscopic couple, the vertical
reaction on the rails will be produced
• Let the magnitude of this reaction at each of the
outer or inner wheel be P/2 newtons.
∴ P/2 = C/2x = 0.45v^ 2 /2 × 1.5 = 0.15 v^2 N
• We know that centrifugal force, FC = mv ^2 /R =
1600 × v ^2 /100 = 16 v^ 2 N
• ∴Overturning couple acting in the outward
direction, CO = FC × h = 16 v^ 2 × 0.5 = 8 v ^2 N-m
Stability of a two wheel vehicle taking a
turn
• Consider a two wheel vehicle (say a scooter or motor cycle)
taking a right turn as shown.
• Let m = Mass of the vehicle and its rider in kg
• W = Weight of the vehicle and its rider in newtons = m.g Newton
• h = Height of the center of gravity of the vehicle and rider,
• rW = Radius of the wheels,
• R = Radius of track or curvature,
• IW = Mass moment of inertia of each wheel,
• IE = Mass moment of inertia of the rotating parts of the engine,
• ω = Angular velocity of the wheels,
W

• ωE = Angular velocity of the engine,

• G = Gear ratio = ωE/ωW
• v = Linear velocity of the vehicle = ωW × rW ,
• θ = Angle of heel, It is inclination of the vehicle to the vertical for
equilibrium.
• A little consideration will show that when the
wheels move over the curved path, the
vehicle is always inclined at an angle θ with
the vertical plane as shown .
• This angle is known as angle of heel.
• In other words, the axis of spin is inclined to
the horizontal at an angle θ, as shown.
• Thus the angular momentum vector Iω due to
spin is represented by OA inclined to OX at an
angle θ.
• The spin vector is resolved along OX.
• Find the angle of inclination with respect to
the vertical of a two wheeler negotiating a
turn. Combined mass of the vehicle with its
rider 250 kg ; moment of inertia of the engine
flywheel 0.3 kg-m^2 ; moment of inertia of
each road wheel 1 kg-m^2 ; speed of engine
flywheel 5 times that of road wheels and in
the same direction ; height of center of gravity
of rider with vehicle 0.6m ; two wheeler speed
90 km/h ; wheel radius 300 mm ; radius of
turn 50 m.
• Given
• m = 250 kg ; IE = 0.3 kg-m2 ; IW = 1 kg-m^2 ; ωE =
5 ωW or G=ωE/ωW = 5 ; h = 0.6 m ; v = 90 km/h =
25 m/s ; rW = 300 mm = 0.3 m ; R = 50 m