A Simple Nonlinear Pendulum:

A Case Study
K.DEIVA KUMAR, M.MARIA STEFFY, R.SHANMUGAVEL,
P.SRIRAMACHANDRAN
Department of physics, VHNSN college, Virudhunagar, Tamilnadu, India-626001
Contents
• Introduction
• A Nonlinear Pendulum
• Nonlinear Period of Oscillation
• Poincaré Section
• Analyses of Phase Portrait
• Fixed Points and Linearization
• A Damped Pendulum Case
• Follow Ups
• Conclusion
• References

2
Introduction

• A simple pendulum is simple only for small angles, beyond small

angle limits(sin � ≈ �) a pendulum is nonlinear.
• Beyond limits the period of oscillations depends upon initial
amplitude, which means that the well known time period of
�
oscillation, � = 2� is no longer valid.
�

• The analyses of phase space portrait that open up fascinating

ideas of fixed points, linearization of pendulum and an inception
of chaotic behaviour.

INTRODUCTION 2
A Nonlinear Pendulum
• A pendulum of string length l attached with a bob of mass
m oscillates with holonomic constraints.
• For an undamped oscillations Lagrangian equation of motion
of a pendulum can be written as,
�=�−� (1)
1
� = ��2 �2 + ���(1 − cos � ) (2)
2
��
�
( �� )− = ��2 � + ���sin � (3)
�� �� ��

�
�+ sin � =0 (4)
�

LAGRANGIAN EQUATION OF MOTION 4

• The initial conditions (at t=0) are, θ(t) = θ(0) = �0 and � = 0.
Applying initial conditions and by integration process ,
g
� (� + sin � ) = 0
l
2 �
� − 2 cos � = C (5)
�
�
− 2 cos �0 = C (6)
�
where c is an integral factor.
and substitution of eqn (6) in (5) gives the relation for angular
velocity,
�� 2 �
( ) = 2 (cos � − cos �0 ) (7)
�� �

Initial conditions for an undamped pendulum 5

 d�
dt = (8)
g � �
2 sin2 0 − sin2
l 2 2

�
If oscillations are within the region of 0 to , then the period of oscillation will
2
T
be .
4
�0 �
Assume that, sin2 = k2 , then sin2 = k2 ∗ ���2 �.
2 2
T �
l 2 d�
o
4 dt = g 0 1− k2 sin2 �
(9)

We know that the integrand of this equation is elliptical integral of first kind that
can be expanded as
� 1 1∗3 2 4 (2n−1)!! 2 2n
k(k) = {1 + ( )2 k2 + ( ) k + ..... + ( ) k } (10)
2 2 2∗4 2n!!

Nonlinear Period of oscillation 6

And the period of oscillation for region of our interest is
l 1 1∗3 2 4 (2n−1)!! 2 2n
T = 2� {1 + ( )2 k2 + ( ) k + ..... + ( ) k } (11)
g 2 2∗4 2n!!
�0
where k=sin . Neglecting the higher order terms we can approximate period of
2
l
oscillation, T = 2� , that is no longer a good approximation beyond small
g
angles.
l
• In general, T = 2� is independant of initial amplitude of the oscillation. It is
g
known as linearization of period of oscillation. Incorporating the higher order
terms it becomes nonlinear.

Nonlinear Period of oscillation 7

Fig2: The nonlinearity in period of oscillation for 1m fixed length undamped
pendulum as a function of initial angular displacement.

Nonlinear period of oscillation

8
Poincaré section
• Phase portrait/ poincaré section is a nondimensional visual aid
for an evaluation of an ensemble of trajectories in phase space.
• A normalised(nondimensionalised) EOM of a pendulum is
�+sin � = 0 (12)
�2 �
where �= 2 and � = �� is a dimensionless time variable.
��
• Equation (12) is a second order differential equation, which can
be seperated as two first order differntial equations.
� = �, � =− sin � (13)

Poincaré section 9
Analyses of Phase portrait

A phase portrait near the fixed points is

plotted using Matlab Pplane8.m file
exchange.
• Every orbit can be understood as the
energy requirement of an oscillation
for its respective initial angle.
1 2
• �(�, �) = � − ���� i s n o r m a l i z e d
2
energy.
• Red dots are equillibrium or fixed
points are further a fascinating thing.

Analyses of Phase portrait 1

0
Phase Portrait Simulation

Simulation 11
Fixed points in brief
• where the generalized forces acting on a system vanishes are
said to be an equillibrium point.
• Potential energy has an extremum at equilibrium points.
• �(�∗ , �∗ ) = 0
• Computation of equilibrium points are handy with an Jacobian
matrices of equations (13).
�� ��
�� ��
A= �� ��
�� ��

Fixed points 12
Linear centers/spiral fixed points
• Computation of Jacobian at (0,0) results
linear centers. Generally it holds the same
result for every 2�� angular displacements.

0 1 0 1
�= =
−���(2��) 0 −1 0 v
• Local phase portrait near the spiral fixed
points are topologically equivalent to the
linearization.
• Orbits near spiral fixed points for oscillations θ
of smaller angles.

Linear centers 13
Nonlinear center/ Saddle points
• Pendulum is a reversible system, that is
invariant under the transformation
� →− � & v →− v , a n d t h e t o t a l e n e r g y i s
conserved.
• H e n c e t h e l a r g e a n g l e s a r e t ra c e n e a r
nonlinear centers. And v
0 1 0 1
A= =
−cos((2n + 1)�) 0 1 0
• for all ((2n + 1)�, 0) are equilibrium points.
• Near saddle points, the kinetic energy θ
dominates, and the momenta of pendulum
never falls to zero for larger angles.
Nonlinar centers 14
Damped Pendulum
Let us introduce damping to the pendulum, a normalised Lagrangian equation of
motion is
� + �� + sin � = 0 (14)
Its Jacobian matrix is
0 1 0 1
= (15)
−cos� −� ±1 −�
The solutions are then
−�± �2 −4cos�
� =
2

−�± �2 ±4
�= (16)
2
Saddle remains saddle, orbit becomes spiral centred at spiral fixed points.
Case: Damped pendulum 15
Phase portrait of damped pendulum

for � = 0.5 for � = 2

Poincare Section for damped pendulum 16

Follow ups
• T h e c a s e s o f va r i a b l e l e n g t h p e n d u l u m ( l e n g t h e n i n g &
shortening) are further interesting.
• At the outset, oscillation is damped-driven then the chaotic
behaviour is another fascinating behaviour of pendulum.
• Nonlinear effects and chaotic behaviour of oscillations lead to
several interesting areas of nonlinear dynamics involving
molecular and lattice vibrations, � − � symmetries of quantum
pendulum and etc.

Follow up 17
Conclusion
• A review on nonlinearity for basic penduli is briefly discussed.
• The essentials of nonlinear effects come to light when dealing
with the period of oscillations for large angles.
• Nonlinear effects on fixed points and linearization near fixed
points are handy with Jacobian matrix computation with the
portrait of phase space.
• These analyses on Poincare sections are fundamental roots to
understand a chaotic nature of penduli.
conclusion 18
References
• Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos: With Applications to Physics, Biology,
Chemistry and Engineering, Steven H. Strogatz (ISBN13: 9780738204536)
• Nonlinear Dynamics: Integrability, Chaos, and Patterns, M. Lakshmanan,S.
Rajasekar.
• On the Modeling and Simulation of Variable‑Length Pendulum Systems: A
Review Godiya Yakubu, Paweł Olejnik, Jan Awrejcewicz.
• The Path From the Simple Pendulum to Chaos Josh Bevivino.
• Comment on “On the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian description of the damped
linear harmonic oscillator” Carl M. Bendera, Mariagiovanna Gianfredab, Nima
Hassanpoura and Hugh F. Jones.

References 19
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