Brachistochrone on a velodrome

DOI10.1098/RSPA.2020.0153zbMATH Open1472.70002arXiv1908.02224OpenAlexW3034386430MaRDI QIDQ5160987FDOQ5160987

Authors: G. P. Benham, Caroline Cohen, Emmanuel Brunet, Christophe Clanet 

Publication date: 29 October 2021

Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: The Brachistochrone problem, which describes the curve that carries a particle under gravity in a vertical plane from one height to another in the shortest time, is one of the most famous studies in classical physics. There is a similar problem in track cycling, where a cyclist aims to find the trajectory on the curved sloping surface of a velodrome that results in the minimum lap time. In this paper we extend the classical Brachistochrone problem to find the optimum cycling trajectory in a velodrome, treating the cyclist as an active particle. Starting with two canonical cases of cycling on a sloping plane and a cone, where analytical solutions are found, we then solve the problem numerically on the reconstructed surface of the velodrome in Montigny le Bretonneux, France. Finally, we discuss the parameters of the problem and the effects of fatigue.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1908.02224

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zbMATH Keywords

optimizationactive particlescyclingmathematical modellingmechanicsapplied mathematicsbrachistochrone

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Kinematics of a particle (70B05)

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Cited In (2)

• Physics of road cycling and the three jerseys problem
• Brachistochrone of off-centered cylinders

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