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APPLICATIONS OF PDE
ONE DIMENSIONAL WAVE EQUATION
VIBRATION OF A STRECHED STRING
Consider a tightly stretched string of length l units with fixed end points O &
A, subjected to a constant tension. Let the string be displaced from its equilibrium
position and allowed to vibrate.

Let O be the origin, OA as the x axis, perpendicular to OA through O as u

axis.
Let u  x, t  denotes the displacement of the string (ie; deflection) from its
equilibrium at any point x at any time t > 0.
We assume that the motion takes place entirely in the xu-plane & the
points in the string move perpendicular to the equilibrium position.
 2u 2
2  u
To prove the one dimensional wave equation  c , we need the
t 2 x 2
following assumptions:
(i) Consider a homogenous string (ie; the mass of the string per unit length
is constant). The string is perfectly elastic and does not offer any
resistance to bending.

Dr Harikrishnan P K, Dept. of Mathematics, MIT, Manipal

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(ii) The tension caused by stretching the string before fixing it at the end
points is so large, that the action of gravitational force on the string can
be neglected.

(iii) The string performs a transverse motion in a vertical plane.

Consider the motion of a small portion PQ of the string between
P  x, u  & Q  x  x, u  u  .

Let  &  be the angles made by the tangents at P & Q with the x axis. Let
T1 & T2 be the tensions at P & Q of the portion.

 2u
The acceleration of the element PQ is in the vertical direction.
t 2

Since there is no resistance to bending the string, the tension is tangential

to the curve of the string at each point.
Since there is no motion in the horizontal direction, the horizontal
components of the tension must be constant.
ie; T1 cos   T2 cos   T , a constant …….(1)

We have two forces in the vertical direction namely the vertical

components of T1 & T2 are T1 sin  (Since component of P is directed
downward) & T2 sin  .

Let  be the density of the portion PQ

then the mass of the portion PQ= x

Resultant of the two forces in the vertical direction= T2 sin   T1 sin 

By Newton’s II law,
 2u
T2 sin   T1 sin   x 
t 2
T sin  T1 sin  x  2 u
 2    2
T T T t

Dr Harikrishnan P K, Dept. of Mathematics, MIT, Manipal

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T2 sin  T1 sin  x  2u

    2
T2 cos  T1 cos  T t
x  2u
 tan   tan    2
T t
2
tan   tan    u
   2 .......  3
x T t

But tan  & tan  are the slopes of the curve at x & x  x .

 u   u 
tan     , tan    
 x  x  x  x x

 u   u 
   
x x   2u
 3    x   x x   2
x T t

 u   u 
    2
 x  x  x  x x   u
 lim   2
x  0 x T t
2 2
u  u
 2   2
x T t
 u T  2u
2
 2 
t  x 2
T
Take  c2

 2u 2
2  u
 c
t 2 x 2 is the required one dimensional wave equation.

SOLUTION OF ONE DIMENSIONAL WAVE EQUATION BY VARIABLE SEPERABLE

METHOD
 2u 2
2  u
Consider the one dimensional wave equation  c where
t 2 x 2 -------- (1)
u  x, t  is the deflection of the string

To solve (1) means we are finding out how the string moves.
Since the string is fixed at the ends x = 0 & x = l, we have two boundary
conditions; u  0, t   0, u  l , t   0t      2 

Dr Harikrishnan P K, Dept. of Mathematics, MIT, Manipal

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The form of the motion of a string will depends on the initial deflection (ie;
deflection at t = 0) and on the initial velocity (ie; velocity at t = 0).
Take the initial deflection by f  x  and initial velocity by g  x  , we get two
initial conditions;

u  x, 0   f  x  

u  4
 x, 0   g  x  
t 

Now our aim is to find a solution for (1) satisfying (2) & (3).
Derive the solution of one dimensional wave equation by variable separable
form
 2u 2
2  u
Consider the one dimensional wave equation  c under
t 2 x 2 -------- (1)
the boundary conditions u  0, t   0, u  l , t   0t and the initial conditions

u
u  x, 0   f  x  ,  x, 0   g  x  .
t

Let u  XT be the solution of (1) then

u dX u dT
T & X
x dx t dt
2 2 2
u d X u d 2T
 2 T &  X
x dx 2 t 2 dt 2
d 2T d2X
 1  X 2  c 2T
dt dx 2
1 d 2T 1 d 2 X
 2    (constant)
c T dt 2 X dx 2

1 d2X 1 d 2T
ie;   & 
X dx 2 c 2T dt 2

d2X d 2T
   X  0 &   c 2T  0
dx 2 dt 2

Dr Harikrishnan P K, Dept. of Mathematics, MIT, Manipal

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The Auxillary equations are,

D2    0 & D 2   c2  0
 D2   & D 2  c 2

Case (i):  is +ve, say   k 2 for any real number k.

The roots of the auxillary equations are,
D  k & D  kc

 X  C1e kx  C2 e  kx & T  C3e kct  C4e  kct

In this case solution is, u  XT   C1e kx  C2e  kx   C3ekct  C4e  kct 

Case (ii):  is -ve, say   k 2 for any real number k.

The roots of the auxillary equations are,
 D  ik & D  ikc
 X  A cos kx  B sin kx & T  C cos ckt  D sin ckt
In this case solution is, u  XT   A cos kx  B sin kx   C cos ckt  D sin ckt 
Case (iii)   0
The roots of the auxillary equations are, D  0, 0 & D  0, 0

 X   C1  C2 x  e 0 x =C1  C2 x & T   C3  C4t  e0 t  C3  C4t

In this case solution is, u  XT   C1  C2 x   C3  C4t 
For the vibration of a string, the function u is periodic (so the solution
should contain trigonometric functions)
 The solution the wave equation is of the form,

u   A cos kx  B sin kx   C cos ckt  D sin ckt 

For the boundary conditions u  0, t   0, u  l , t   0t

u  0, t   0  A  C cos ckt  D sin ckt   0  A  0

 u  B sin kx  C cos ckt  D sin ckt   sin kx  E cos ckt  F sin ckt 

Dr Harikrishnan P K, Dept. of Mathematics, MIT, Manipal

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u  l , t   0  0  sin kl  E cos ckt  F sin ckt 

 sin kl  0  kl  n ; n  1, 2,3...
n
k  ; n  1, 2,3...
l

n  n c n c 
So, u  sin x  E cos t  F sin t  ; n  1, 2,3,...
l  l l 

Since k takes infinitely many values, we have,

n  n c n c 
un  sin x  En cos t  Fn sin t  ; n  1, 2,3,... is also solutions of (1)
l  l l 

Since (1) is a homogenous PDE, we have the sum of the infinitely many solutions
is again a solution of (!)
 
 n c n c  n
 u  x, t    un  x, t     En cos t  Fn sin t  sin x........(*)
n 1 n 1  l l  l

n
From the initial condition, u  x, 0   f  x   f  x    En sin x
n 1 l

Since RHS of this equation is in the form of a half range sine series, so
l
2 n
En   f  x  sin xdx
l 0 l

From (*);
u    n c  n c  n c  n c  n
    En   sin t  Fn   cos t  sin x
t n 1   l  l  l  l  l

 n c   n c n c  n
     En sin t  Fn cos t  sin x
n 1  l   l l  l

u n c  n
 x, 0   g  x   g  x     Fn sin x
t n 1  l  l

Since RHS is of the form of a half range sine series,

Dr Harikrishnan P K, Dept. of Mathematics, MIT, Manipal

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l
 n c  2 n
  Fn   g  x  sin xdx
 l  l 0 l
l
2 n
Fn   g  x  sin xdx
n c 0 l

Hence the required solution is,


 n c n c  n
u  x, t     En cos t  Fn sin t  sin x
n 1  l l  l
l l
2 n 2 n
where En   f  x  sin xdx; Fn   g  x  sin xdx
l 0 l n c 0 l

D’ALEMBERT’S SOLUTION OF ONE DIMENSIONAL WAVE EQUATION

 2u 2
2  u
Consider the one dimensional wave equation  c
t 2 x 2 -------- (1)

Let   x  ct &   x  ct be two independent variables then u is a function of  &  .

u u  u  u u u u
    1  1  
x  x  x    

u u  u  u u  u u 
Similarly,     c    c   c   
t  t  t      

 2u   u u     u u  
    
x 2
     x      x
 2u  2u u  2 u  2u  2u 2u
      2 
 2     2  2   2

Also,
 2u   u u     u u  
 2
 c    c  
t      x      x
 2u 2
2  u
2
2  u 2  u
2 2
2  u  2u 2u 
 c2 2
 c  c  c 2
 c  2  2  2
         

u u
 0  f  
 
 u   f    d       u         

Dr Harikrishnan P K, Dept. of Mathematics, MIT, Manipal

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Therefore the solution is, u    x  ct    x  ct  where  & are arbitrary

functions, called D’ Alembert’s solution of one dimensional wave equation.
We can find the functions  & by the using the initial conditions;
u
u  x, 0   f  x  ,  x, 0   0
t

We have u    x  ct    x  ct  then

u
 c 1  x  ct   c 1  x  ct 
t

u  x, 0   f  x   f  x     x    x  ......  2 

u
 x, 0   0  c 1  x   c 1  x   0
t
 c  1  x   1  x    0
  1  x   1  x   0
   x    x   k .......  3

1
 2    3  2  x   f  x   k    x    f  x   k 
2
1
 2    3  2  x   f  x   k    x    f  x   k 
2

1
 u    x  ct     x  ct    f  x  ct   f  x  ct   is the required D’ Alembert’s
2
solution.

Dr Harikrishnan P K, Dept. of Mathematics, MIT, Manipal