Appendix 3

Cu rvil inear co-ordinate systems

In the chapter dealing with continuous media all the equations were presented using Carte-
sian co-ordinates, but in many instances it is advantageous to use curvilinear co-ordinates
such as cylindrical or spherical. Weshall develop a general approach and then apply it to the
two systems mentioned above.
In Cartesian co-ordinates the differential vector operator (equation (7.4)) is
v = (i j k)(aiax aiay
= ( m )
Equation (7.12) defines rotation
1 1
2 2
1
2
Jz = -(e)T(v)"(u) = - v x u
= - curl u
Equation (7.32) defines dilatation
A = (V)'(u) = V*u
= divergence u
The equations of motion can be written as a single vector equation
p!?! = (It. + 2p)gradA - 2pcurlJ z
a?
or
2
a u = (h + 2p)VA - 2pVXJ z
Premultiplying both sides by V, that is taking the divergence of both sides, gives
(A3.1)
a2A
p - = (h + 2p)V'A
at
since V T x n = 0
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Appendix3 289
Premultiplying both sides by VX, that is taking the curl of both sides, yields
a2(28) = - 2pv x (V x f2)
a t
P
= -2p[(V.n) - (v.v)n]
but P n = P(VXu)/2 = 0 and therefore
p!$ = pV2R
Curvilinear co-ordinates
Curvilinear co-ordinates will be described by the magnitudes q, , q2 and q3 with the corre-
sponding unit vectors e,, e2 and e3. A small change in the position vector is
dr = e,h,dq, + qh2dq2 + e3h3dq3
= (eIT[hl(dq)
= e,h,dq, (A3.2)
where
0
[ h] = [i 2 :]
The scale factors, [h], are defined so that h,dq, is the elemental length. For Cartesian co-ordi-
nates the scale factors are each unity.
dA, = h,dq2h3dq3 etc.
h3
From Fig. A3.1 we see that the areas of the faces of the elemental volume are
so
(&I = (dq2dq3h2h3 dq3dq,h3hl dqldq2hlh2f
(A3.3)
Fig. A3.1
290 Appendix 3
The volume is
dV = d9ld9*d9,hlh2h, (A3.4)
Divergence
The divergence of a vector function F can be found by use of the divergence theorem
swl (div F)dV = L$;lA
(A3.5)
The integral on the right hand side is known as the flux through the surface. If the vec-
tor represents the velocity of a fluid then the flux would be the volumetric flow rate of
fluid leaving the volume enclosed by the surface. If we now make the volume tend to
zero
div F = lim - F.dA (A3.6)
V-bO v S surface
For the elemental volume shown in Fig. A3.2
di vF = - 7- a(cAf)dgi
4 a91 1
- W ( K aq2 a93
(A3.7)
a
a (h2h&> + -(h3hlfi) + -(hlh24)
- 1
Curl
The component in the n direction of the curl of a vector function can be defined by the fol-
lowing integral, which is known as Stokes theorem
(A3.8)
The integral is known as the circulation due to its interpretation if the vector F is again the
velocity of a fluid.
(curl F) . n = lim -!-$,,rds
An* An
Fig. A3.2
Appendix3 291
If we take n to be e, then, from Fig. A3.3, for the elemental area
$F- ds = F,h2dq2 - F, + -dq3 h2dq2 + - ah2 dq,dq,)
( 2 )( a93
( a42 * )( a42
a3
- 4h3dq3 + 6 + -dq2 h3dq3 + -dq2dq3)
- - ( -- a(g2) + p) dq2dq, a(@, )
a42
Thus, since dA, = h,dq2h3dq3 we have
(curl F).e, = - 1 ( ~ amg:) - - W h 2 ) )
(A3.9)
h2h3 a43
with similar expressions for the other two components.
Fig. A33(a) and (b)
292 Appendix 3
Gradient
The gradient of a scalar function f is defined so that its component in any given direction, n,
is the directional derivative in that direction so
gradmen = - af (A3.10)
as
where s is the distance along the curve parallel to n. Now
so if we choose n = e,
dr = hidqle, + h2dq2ez + h3dq3e3
. Af Af - 1 a !
(gradCf)).e, = lim - = lim - - --
As* AS @I* hiAqi hi *I
Thus
grad0 =--e 1 a! + --q 1 a! + -- 1 a! e3 (A3.11)
hi as, I h2 a42 h3 a43
Cylindrical co-ordinates
From Fig. A3.4 we have
r = re; + zk
Therefore
dr = drq + rde, f dzk
but de, = de q, so
dr = l dr q + rdee, + l dzk
Thus
h i =l h z = r and h3=1
Fig. A3.4 Cylindrical co-ordinates
Appendix3 293
Spherical co-ordinates
Figure A3.5(a) shows one definition of the spherical co-ordinates
r = r q
and
dr = dr q + r dq
but
dq = rcos0d0q +r dse,
dr = 1 drq + rcosnd0e,, + r doe,
Thus the factors for the co-ordinates r, 0 and 0 are
h, = 1 h, = rcos0 and h, = r
so
Figure A3.5(b) shows an alternative definition which leads to the following expressions
for the factors for co-ordinates r, 8 and 0
h, = 1 h, = r and h, = rsin0
Fig. A3.5 Spherical co-ordinates
Expressions for div, grad and curl in cylindrical and spherical co-ordinates
Direct substitution of the scale factors into equations (A3.7), (A3.9) and (A3.11) will gen-
erate the required vector formulae.
Let
[LI = [h, h2 h31diag
[zl = [h2h3 h3hl hlh21diag
and
v = h,h2h,
294 Appendix 3
which are the scale factors which relate to length, area and volume respectively. In these
terms the general expressions are
div(F) = V-'(VT{ [x](F)}
curl(F) = [AII-'[VI~{[[ZI(F)J
grad(f) = [~I-'(v)(F)
where
For spherical co-ordinates corresponding to Fig. A3.5(a)
1 a 2 a
rcosa dr ae
div (F) =
(-(r cos0l;;) + -(r 4) +
1 af 1 af
-q +- -e0
af
gradcf) = -er + -
ar rcoso ae r a0
For spherical co-ordinates corresponding to Fig. A3.5(b)
1 a4
+--
1 a(:Q 1 a(sinO&)
7 ar rsine ae r sine 80
div(F) = - + -
a
r sine ( a ae a0
curl (F) = - -(sine F, ) - -(&))er
gradcf) = -e, af + - 1 --e, af + - 1 af
ar r ae r sine
In cylindrical co-ordinates
Appendix3 295
l a l a a
r ar r % az
div ( F) = - - ( rE) + --(8) + -(Q
gr ad0 = -e, a ! + - 1 --q a! + -q a!
ar r a0 az
Strain
In cylindrical co-ordinates
For spherical co-ordinates corresponding to Fig. A3.5(b)
Stress
For any orthogonal co-ordinate system the stresses in an isotropic linear solid are related to
the strains by
=
+ 9J + ekk) + 2pe44
+ 5J + ' k k ) + 2 p q , O), =
296 Appendix 3
and
og = Peg
(T. Jk = @
0, = peki
where h and p are the Lame constants.
k = z. In spherical co-ordinates i = r, j = 8 and k = 0.
In Cartesian co-ordinates i = x , j = y and k = z. For cylindrical co-ordinates i = r, j = 8 and