Computer Applications

in Mechanical Engineering

Ch. 1
Mathematical Modeling, Numerical
Methods, and Problem Solving

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 Chapter Objectives
The primary objective of this chapter is to provide you with a concrete
idea of what numerical methods are and how they relate to engineering
and scientific problem solving.
Specific objectives and topics covered are:
• Learning how mathematical models can be formulated on the basis of
scientific principles to simulate the behavior of a simple physical
system.
• Understanding how numerical methods afford a means to generate
solutions in a manner that can be implemented on a digital computer.
• Understanding the different types of conservation laws that lie beneath
the models used in the various engineering disciplines and
appreciating the difference between steady-state and dynamic
solutions of these models.
• Learning about the different types of numerical methods we will cover
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 You’ve got a problem
• A bungee-jumping company hires you.
• Your task: predicting the velocity of a
jumper as a function of time during the free-
fall part of the jump.
• First, we need to model this physical system.
• Scientific principles: Acceleration should
equal the ratio of the net force to the mass
(Newton’s second law).
• Net force = gravity force – Air resistance.
• Gravity force = 𝑚 𝑔
• Air resistance = 𝑐𝑑 𝑣 2
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 𝑑𝑣 σ 𝐹 𝑚 𝑔 − 𝑐𝑑 𝑣 2
෍ 𝐹 = 𝑚 𝑎 = 𝑚 𝑔 − 𝑐𝑑 𝑣 2 𝑎= = =
𝑑𝑡 𝑚 𝑚
𝑑𝑣 𝑐𝑑 2
=𝑔− 𝑣
𝑑𝑡 𝑚
This equation represents the mathematical model of the system.
Simple Mathematical Model
A Mathematical Model is defined as a formulation or equation
that expresses the essential features of a physical system or
process in mathematical terms.
In a very general sense, it can be represented as a functional
relationship of the form:
𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔
=𝑓 , 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠,
𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠
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 𝑑𝑣 𝑐𝑑 2
=𝑔− 𝑣
𝑑𝑡 𝑚
This equation is a model that related the acceleration of the falling
object to the forces that acting on it.
It is a differential equation because it is written in terms of the
differential rate of the variable that we are interested in predicting.
For the above model, an exact solution or analytic solution can be
obtained using advanced techniques such as calculus.
For example, if the jumper is initially at rest (𝑣 = 0 𝑎𝑡 𝑡 = 0),
using calculus we get the following solution:
𝑔𝑚 𝑔𝑐𝑑
𝑣 𝑡 = tanh 𝑡
𝑐𝑑 𝑚
Here, v(t) is the dependent variable, t is the independent variable,
𝑐𝑑 and m are parameters, and g is the forcing function.

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Example 1.1 Analytical solution to the Bungee Jumper Problem
A bungee jumper. m = 68.1 kg, v=?? for the first 12 s of free fall.
Use drag coefficient 𝑐𝑑 = 0.25 kg/m.

9.81 (68.1) 9.81 ∗ 0.25

𝑣 𝑡 = tanh 𝑡
0.25 68.1
𝑣 𝑡 = 51.6938 tanh 0.18977 𝑡

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Notes:
• According to the model, the jumper accelerates rapidly.
• A velocity of 49.4214 m/s (about 110 mi/hr) is attained after 10 s.
• After a sufficiently long time, a constant velocity, called the
terminal velocity, of 51.6983 m/s (115.6 mi/hr) is reached.
• This velocity is constant because, eventually, the force of gravity
will be in balance with the air resistance. Thus, the net force is
zero and acceleration has ceased.

• This solution is called an analytical or closed-form solution

because it exactly satisfies the original differential equation.
• Unfortunately, there are many mathematical models that cannot
be solved exactly.
• In many of these cases, the only alternative is to develop a
numerical solution that approximates the exact solution.

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Numerical Methods are those in which the mathematical
problem is reformulated so it can be solved by arithmetic operations.

This form is called finite-difference

approximation of the derivative at
time t i .
Remember from calculus that:

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 Notice that the term in brackets is the right-hand side of the
differential equation itself. That is, it provides a means to compute
the rate of change or slope of v. Thus, the equation can be rewritten
more concisely as:

We can now see that the differential equation has been transformed into
an equation that can be used to determine the velocity algebraically at
t(i+1) using the slope and previous values of v and t.

New value = old value + slope × step size

This approach is formally called Euler’s method.
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Example 1.2 Numerical Solution to the Bungee Jumper Problem
A bungee jumper. m = 68.1 kg, v=?? for the first 12 s of free fall.
Use drag coefficient 𝑐𝑑 = 0.25 kg/m.
Perform the same computation as in Example 1.1 but use Euler’s
method to compute velocity with. Employ a step size of 2 s for the
calculation.

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 The calculation is continued in a similar fashion to obtain
additional values:

The numerical method captures the essential features of the exact

solution. However, because we have employed straight-line segments to
approximate a continuously curving function, there is some discrepancy
between the two results.
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Conservation Laws in Engineering and Science

Change = increases − decreases

This is precisely the format that we employed when using Newton’s
law to develop a force balance for the bungee jumper.

Although simple, the above equation embodies one of the most

fundamental ways in which conservation laws are used in engineering
and science. that is, to predict changes with respect to time.

Aside from predicting changes, another way in which conservation

laws are applied is for cases where change is nonexistent. If change
is zero, then:
Change = 0 = increases − decreases
Increases = decreases

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Flow in = Flow out

A flow balance for steady incompressible

fluid flow at the junction of pipes.

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Case study: it is a real drag

The drag force was represented by the following form:

𝐹𝑑 = −𝑐𝑑 𝑣 2
The above equation doesn’t take into account the direction of the drag
force. A more detailed representation of the drag force (by Lord
Rayleigh) can be written as:
1 2
𝐹𝑑 = − 𝜌𝑣 𝐴 𝐶𝑑 𝑣റ
2
𝑣:
റ a unit vector indicating the direction of the velocity.
1
𝑐𝑑 = 𝜌𝐴 𝐶𝑑
2
The following simple modification allows the sign to be incorporated
in the drag force:
1
𝐹𝑑 = − 𝜌𝑣 𝑣 𝐴 𝐶𝑑 or 𝐹𝑑 = −𝑐𝑑 𝑣 𝑣
2

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Case study: it is a real drag (cont.)

The differential equation to be solved will be:

𝑑𝑣 𝑐𝑑
=𝑔− 𝑣 𝑣
𝑑𝑡 𝑚
𝑑𝑥
In order to determine the jumper’s position: = −𝑣
𝑑𝑡
Using Euler’s method:
𝑥𝑖+1 = 𝑥𝑖 − 𝑣 𝑡𝑖 ∆𝑡
Assuming that the jumper’s initial position is defined as 𝑥 0 = 0,
then the velocity and distance (at 𝑡 = 2 𝑠) can be computed as:
0.25
𝑣 2 = −40 + 9.81 − −40 40 2 = −8.63 m/s
68.1
𝑥 2 = 0 − −40 2 = 80 m
at 𝑡 = 4 𝑠
0.25
𝑣 4 = −8.63 + 9.81 − −8.63 8.63 2 = 11.5346 m/s
68.1
𝑥 4 = 80 − −8.63 2 = 97.2651 m
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Plots of the velocity for the free-falling bungee jumper with an
upward (negative) initial velocity generated with Euler’s method.
Results for both the correct and incorrect drag formulations are
displayed.
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Plots of the height for the free-falling bungee jumper with an upward
(negative) initial velocity generated with Euler’s method.
Results for both the correct and incorrect drag formulations are
displayed.
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 Homework

1.2, 1.5, 1.7, 1.9, 1.12, 1.17, 1.20

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