Steady Motion of a Rigid Disk of Finite Thickness on a Horizontal Plane

Abstract

The article discusses the steady motion of a rigid disk of finite thickness rolling on its edge on a horizontal plane under the influence of gravity. The governing equations are presented and two cases allowing for a steady state solution are considered: rolling on consistently rough ground and rolling on perfectly smooth ground. The conditions of steady motion are derived for both kinds of ground and it is shown that the possible steady motion of a disk is either on a straight line in a circle. Also oscillations about steady state are discussed and conditions for stable motion are established.