Module7 Dr.

Awani Bhushan
Assistant Professor
SMEC, VIT Chennai
 Gyroscope
 A gyroscope is a device for measuring or
maintaining orientation, based on the
principles of angular momentum.
 A mechanical gyroscope is essentially a
spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free
to take any orientation.
 This orientation changes much less in
response to a given external torque than it
would without the large angular
momentum associated with the
gyroscope's high rate of spin.
 Precessional Angular Motion
(Vectorial representation of angular motion)
 We know that the angular acceleration is the rate of change of angular
velocity with respect to time.
 It is a vector quantity and may be represented by drawing a vector
diagram with the help of right hand screw rule.

 Consider a disc, as shown in Fig. (a), revolving or spinning about the

axis OX (known as axis of spin) in anticlockwise when seen from the
front, with an angular velocity in a plane at right angles to the paper.
 After a short interval of time t, let the disc be spinning about the new
axis of spin OX (at an angle δθ ) with an angular velocity (ω +δω).
 Using the right hand screw rule, 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 in Fig. (b).
 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.
•
 GYROSCOPIC COUPLE
•
•
Effect of the Gyroscopic Couple on an Aero-plane
Case (i): PROPELLER rotates in CLOCKWISE direction when seen
from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards LEFT
According to the analysis, the reactive gyroscopic couple tends to dip the
tail and raise the nose of aeroplane.
Case (ii): PROPELLER rotates in CLOCKWISE direction when seen
from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards RIGHT
According to the analysis, the reactive gyroscopic couple tends to raise
the tail and dip the nose of aeroplane.
 Observer
Front (+) Rear (-)
Clockwise (+) Anticlockwise (-)
Right Turn (+) Left turn (-)

If the overall results (sum) If the overall results (sum)

comes positive (+), then the comes negative (-), then the
plane Nose go UP or rise and plane Nose go down and tail
tail will be down will be up

Ex- PROPELLER rotates in CLOCKWISE (+) direction when seen from rear end
(-) and Aeroplane turns towards RIGHT (+)

Overall result is +*-*+=- show nose go down

Case (i): PROPELLER rotates in CLOCKWISE direction
when seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards LEFT

Case (ii): PROPELLER rotates in CLOCKWISE direction

when seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards
RIGHT

Case (iii): PROPELLER rotates in ANTICLOCKWISE

direction when seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns
towards LEFT

Case (iv): PROPELLER rotates in ANTICLOCKWISE

direction when seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards
RIGHT
Case (iii): PROPELLER rotates in ANTICLOCKWISE direction when seen
from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards LEFT
According to the analysis, the reactive gyroscopic couple tends to raise
the nose and dip the tail of aeroplane
Case (iv): PROPELLER rotates in ANTICLOCKWISE direction when
seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards RIGHT
The analysis shows, the reactive gyroscopic couple tends to raise the tail
and dip the nose of aeroplane
Case (i): PROPELLER rotates in CLOCKWISE direction
when seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards LEFT

Case (ii): PROPELLER rotates in CLOCKWISE direction

when seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards
RIGHT

Case (iii): PROPELLER rotates in ANTICLOCKWISE

direction when seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns
towards LEFT

Case (iv): PROPELLER rotates in ANTICLOCKWISE

direction when seen from rear end and Aeroplane turns towards
RIGHT
Problem : An aeroplane makes a complete half circle of 50
metres 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.
Solution:
Given data : R = 50 m ; v = 200 km/hr = 55.6 m/s ; m = 400
kg ; k = 0.3 m ; N = 2400 r.p.m. or ω = 2 π × 2400/60 = 251
rad/s
Ans-D
 GYROSCOPIC EFFECT ON SHIP

 Gyroscope is used for stabilization and directional control of a ship

sailing in the rough sea. A ship, while navigating in the rough sea,
may experience the following three different types of motion:
(i) Steering—The turning of ship in a curve while moving forward
(ii) Pitching—The movement of the ship up and down from horizontal
position in a vertical plane about transverse axis
(iii)Rolling—Sideway motion of the ship about longitudinal axis.
 Ship Terminology
(i) Bow – It is the fore end of ship
(ii) Stern – It is the rear end of ship
(iii) Starboard – It is the right hand
side of the ship looking in the
direction of motion
(iv) Port – It is the left hand side of
the ship looking in the direction of
motion
Gyroscopic effect on Steering of ship

Naval ship taking a left turn

 Gyroscopic effect on Steering of ship

(i) Left turn with clockwise rotor

When ship takes a left turn and the rotor rotates in clockwise direction
viewed from stern, the gyroscopic couple act on the ship is analyzed in
the following way.
From the above analysis, the couple acts over the ship between stern and
bow. This reaction couple tends to raise the front end (bow) and lower
the rear end (stern) of the ship
(ii) Right turn with clockwise rotor
When ship takes a right turn and the rotor rotates in clockwise
direction viewed from stern
The couple acts in vertical plane, means between stern and bow. Now the
reaction couple tends to lower the bow of the ship and raise the stern.
(iii) Left turn with anticlockwise rotor
When ship takes a left turn and the rotor rotates in anticlockwise
direction viewed from stern
The couple acts over the ship is between stern and bow. This reaction
couple tends to press or dip the front end (bow) and raise the rear end
(stern) of the ship.
(iv) Right turn with anticlockwise rotor
When ship takes a right turn and the rotor rotates in anticlockwise
direction viewed from stern
The gyroscopic couple act on the ship is according to Figure. Now, the
reaction couple tends to raise the bow of the ship and dip the stern.
 Gyroscopic effect on Pitching of ship
The pitching motion of a ship generally occurs due to waves which can
be approximated as sine wave. During pitching, the ship moves up and
down from horizontal position in vertical plane
 Pitching is the movement of a complete ship up and down in a vertical
plane about transverse axis, as shown in Fig.
 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.

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39
• When the pitching is upward, the effect of the reactive gyroscopic
couple, as shown in Fig.(b), will try to move the ship toward star-
board (right).
• On the other hand, if the pitching is downward, the effect of the
reactive gyroscopic couple, as shown in Fig.(c), is to turn the ship
towards port side (left).

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Notes :
 The effect of the gyroscopic couple is always given on specific
position of the axis of spin i.e. whether it is pitching downwards or
upwards.
 The maximum gyroscopic couple tends to shear the holding-down
bolts.
 The angular acceleration during pitching is given by

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 Gyroscopic effect on Rolling of ship

The axis of the rotor of a ship is mounted along the longitudinal axis of
ship and therefore, there is no precession of this axis. Thus, no effect of
gyroscopic couple on the ship frame is formed when the ship rolls
Problem: The turbine rotor of a ship has a mass of 3500 kg. It
has a radius of gyration of 0.45 m and a speed of 3000 r.p.m.
clockwise when looking from stern. Determine the gyroscopic
couple and its effect upon the ship:
1. when the ship is steering to the left on a curve of 100 m
radius at a speed of 36 km/h.
2. when the ship is pitching in a simple harmonic motion, the
bow falling with its maximum velocity. The period of pitching
is 40 seconds and the total angular displacement between the
two extreme positions of pitching is 12 degrees.
Solution:
Given data : m = 3500 kg ; k = 0.45 m; N = 3000 r.p.m. or ω
= 2π × 3000/60 = 314.2 rad/s
Problem : A ship propelled by a turbine rotor which has a mass of 5
tonnes and a speed of 2100 r.p.m. The rotor has a radius of gyration of
0.5 m and rotates in a clockwise direction when viewed from the stern.
Find the gyroscopic effects in the following conditions:
1. The ship sails at a speed of 30 km/h and steers to the left in a curve
having 60 m radius.
2. The ship pitches 6 degree above and 6 degree below the horizontal
position. The bow is descending with its maximum velocity. The motion
due to pitching is simple harmonic and the periodic time is 20 seconds.
3. The ship rolls and at a certain instant it has an angular velocity of
0.03 rad/s clockwise when viewed from stern. Determine also the
maximum angular acceleration during pitching. Explain how the
direction of motion due to gyroscopic effect is determined in each case.
Solution:
Given : m = 5 t = 5000 kg ; N = 2100 r.p.m. or ω = 2π × 2100/60 = 220
rad/s ; k = 0.5 m
Ans- 100.5 KN-m
 Stability of Four Wheeled Vehicle

Stable condition Unstable Condition

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 in Fig.

• The wheels A and C are inner wheels, whereas B

and D are outer wheels. The centre of gravity
(C.G.) of the vehicle lies vertically above the road
surface.
• A little consideration will show, that the
weight of the vehicle (W) will be
equally distributed over the four wheels
which will act downwards.
• The reaction between each wheel and the
road surface of the same magnitude will act
upwards.
• Therefore Road reaction over each wheel, =
W/4 = m.g /4 newtons
• Let us now consider the effect of the gyroscopic couple and centrifugal couple on the
vehicle.

The positive sign is used when the wheels and rotating parts of the engine rotate in the
same direction. If the rotating parts of the engine revolves in opposite direction, then
negative sign is used.
• 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

Note: when rotating parts of the engine rotate

in opposite directions, then –ve sign is used, i.e.
net gyroscopic couple,
C = CW – CE,
When C E > CW, then C will be –ve. Thus the
reaction will be vertically downwards on the outer
wheels and vertically upwards on the inner
wheels.
 2. Effect of the centrifugal couple

• Since the vehicle moves along a curved path, therefore centrifugal force will act
outwardly at the centre of gravity of the vehicle.
• The effect of this centrifugal force is also to overturn the vehicle.
• We know that centrifugal force,

• This overturning couple is balanced by vertical reactions, which are vertically

upwards on the outer wheels and vertically downwards on the inner wheels.
• 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.
 Stability of Two Wheeler negotiating a turn
Let
• Fig. shows a two wheeler vehicle m = Mass of the vehicle and its rider in kg,
taking left turn over a curved path. W = Weight of the vehicle and its rider in
The vehicle is inclined to the newtons = m.g,
vertical for equilibrium by an angle h = Height of the centre of gravity of the
θ known as angle of heel. 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,
ωW = Angular velocity of the wheels,
ωE = Angular velocity of the engine
rotating parts,
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
• It is observed that, when the wheels move over the curved path, the vehicle is always
inclined at an angle θ with the vertical plane as shown in Fig. This angle is known as
‘angle of heel’.
• Gyroscopic Couple,

Note: When the engine is rotating in the same direction as that of wheels,
then the positive
sign is used in the above equation. However, if the engine rotates in
opposite direction to
wheels, then negative sign is used.
• The gyroscopic couple will act over the vehicle outwards i.e., in the anticlockwise
direction when seen from the front of the two wheeler. This couple tends to
overturn/topple the vehicle in the outward direction as shown in Fig.
 2. Effect of Centrifugal Couple

Centrifugal force,

Centrifugal Couple,

• The Centrifugal couple will act over the two

wheeler outwards i.e., in the anticlockwise
direction when seen from the front of the
two wheeler. This couple tends to
overturn/topple the vehicle in the outward
direction
• total Over turning couple: C = Cg + Cc
 For the stability, overturning couple must be equal to balancing couple,
Therefore,

• from the above equation, the value of angle of heel (θ) may be determined,
so that the vehicle does not skid. Also, for the given value of θ, the maximum
vehicle speed in the turn with out skid may be determined