Approximation of the solutions of boundary value problems in Lagrangian mechanics (Q1369901)

The author describes a projection method for constructing motions in Lagrangian mechanics, which is applicable to numerous problems of dynamics. The approximations can be constructed even for motions that involve impact interactions. In such cases, the generalized velocities can experience discontinuities as functions of time -- a situation that is covered by the mean-square approximation in the tangent space. The main problem in making proper use of the equations of motion is to determine initial velocities such that the motion will surely reach a given endpoint. The ``shooting'' method is standard in such situations. An exact solution is determined by an iterative process in a finite-dimensional space. Each step, however, requires the computation of an entire trajectory in the conditions for extremality of Hamilton's principle. However, Hamilton's principle is used to formulate the extremality conditions in such a way that Galerkin's method can be applied in a suitable functional path space.