Rayleigh's dissipation function at work

Abstract

It is shown that the Rayleigh's dissipation function can be successfully applied in the solution of mechanical problems involving friction non-linear in the velocities. Through the study of surfaces at contact we arrive at a simple integral expression which gives directly the Rayleigh dissipation function in terms of generalized coordinates. In this way the solutions of Lagrangian problems with friction are reduced to often elementary calculations of the kinetic energy, the potential energy and the Rayleigh dissipation function. Some examples of pedagogical interest are given.