Analytical and numerical stability analysis of a toroidal wheel with nonholonomic constraints

Abstract

In this paper, a detailed and comprehensive linear stability analysis of a rolling toroidal wheel is performed. The wheel is modeled as a rigid toroid-shaped body rolling without slipping on a horizontal surface. The nonlinear equations of motion constitute a Differential-Algebraic Equations system, given by the dynamic equilibrium equations augmented with the nonholonomic constraints, which arise from the no-slip condition. The circular steady motion and the linearized equations of motion along this relative equilibrium are obtained, for both the solid and hollow tori. The expressions of the linearized equations and the corresponding eigenvalues are derived analytically as a function of the torus aspect ratio. The variation of the stability boundary with the torus aspect ratio is shown. A comparison of the results obtained in the solid and hollow scenarios is included, and all the results are validated with the rolling hoop, which corresponds to a degenerate torus with zero aspect ratio. In the particular case of the steady straight-line rolling and spinning about a vertical diameter, which constitute limit motions of the circular steady motion, the critical rotational and angular speeds required for stabilization are obtained.