International Conference on Economic Engineering and Manufacturing Systems

Braşov, 26 – 27 November 2009

MONOWHEEL DYNAMICS
Gheorghe DELIU, Mariana DELIU
Transilvania University Brasov, Romania

Abstract. The present paper deals with the dynamics problem of a vehicle having a single wheel – the monowheel.
Because of the particular kind of contact link between the vehicle and road, the dynamics of such a vehicle is not very
simple. The authors present the way to find the motion equations, which are commented, in order to offer a better
understanding of such a vehicle motion.

Keywords: monowheel, motion, equations

1. Introduction The frame supports both the driver, and the

The monowheel history begins in the second petrol engine: the rim is toothed on the side, and
half of the 19th century, when there were engages with the pinion of the engine. In sum, the
manufactured some vehicles, driven by pedals. The mobile wheel rolls around the built fixed engine,
first motor-driven monowheel was the “petrol and of course, around the driver!
monocycle” of Caravaglia presented in 1904 at Another example is the modern monowheel
Milan Exposition (figure 1). The principle is easy built by Dr.Geraint Owen of Bath University, U.K.
to understand from the figure. The big wheel with (figure 2).This monowheel consists of a 7ft metal
rim and tyre contains a frame which may rotate hoop, with a 50 cc moped engine, driver’s seat and
relatively to the rim, being fitted with ball-bearings controls mounted in an inner frame [1].
at its corners.

Figure 2. Owen’s monowheel

We might note the existence even of a

monowheel driven by a Buick V8 engine: this is a
vehicle built by Kerry Maclean in the 2000’s.

2. Vehicle motion
2.1. Simplified model
From the figures 2 and 3, we can see that the
Figure 1. Caravaglia’s monowheel
vehicle is a multi-body system composed by:
- the inner body 1, composed, at its turn, by
a frame ABDC, holding three small wheels 4, the
driving wheel 3, and of course the engine and,

RECENT, Vol. 10, no. 3(27), November, 2009 245

 Monowheel Dynamics
finally, the driver; unchanged position relatively to the frame Ox1 y1 ,
- the outer wheel 2, composed by a rim with meaning that its coordinates α and ρ = OG are
its tyre [2].
constant.
But, that does not mean a constant position of this
point in the transported frame Oxy, because there is
a relative rotation of the inner body by the angle
θ1 (Fig.4).
We shall consider the following notations:
- M 1 , J1 , the mass of the inner body 1, and
its moment of inertia about an axis normal to the
plane xOy and passing by the point G1 ,
- M 2 , J 2 , the mass of the outer wheel 2,
Figure 3. Simplified 2D-model and its moment of inertia about an axis normal to
the plane xOy and passing by the point O,
2.2. Reference frames - J 3 , the moment of inertia of the driving
For the simplest motion, meaning the wheel about its axis of rotation,
straight forward motion, we only need the - J e , the moment of inertia of the engine.
following three reference systems (Fig.3): Finally, we shall consider only the following
- a fixed reference frame O0 x0 y 0 ; external forces:
- a transported reference frame Oxy, - the weights Mg , M 1 g , M 2 g , having
contained in the symmetry plane of the outer wheel evident significations,
2, but having the Ox-axis always horizontal; - the contact reactions Fx , F y , meaning
- a mobile reference frame Ox1 y1 , bound to tangential force and normal force in the
the inner body 1, and having the Ox1 -axis passing contact point K,
by the point D. and couples:
- the rolling resistance couple C rr , acting in
2.3. External forces and couples the same contact point K,
To begin with, we shall make some - the driving couple C e , applied by the
simplifying assumptions. First, we shall consider
engine (Fig.5),
the speed small enough in order to be able to
neglect the air resistance. The second assumption
is that the centre of gravity G of the system has an

Figure 5. Driving gear

2.4. Kinematic relationships

In order to write the expressions of kinetic
Figure 4. External forces and couples energy of the system, and of the mechanical work
developed by the acting external forces, we need to

246 RECENT, Vol. 10, no. 3(27), November, 2009

 Monowheel Dynamics
establish the kinematic relationships. So, we can In the equation (7), we shall introduce the
write, on the base of figures above: corresponding derivatives as follows
ξ = Rθ 2 , (1) x& G = ξ& − θ& 1 ρ sin (α + θ1 ) , (12)
xG = ξ + ρ cos(α + θ1 ) , (2) y& G = − θ& 1 ρ cos(α + θ1 ). (13)
y G = R − ρ sin (α + θ1 ). (3) Finally, the kinetic energy has the
Further, assuming that the movement expression
transmission between the driving wheel 3 and the   R 2 θ& 2 + θ& 2 ρ 2 −  
outer wheel 2 is without slipping, (being realised M  2 1
 +
by a gear with toothed wheels, or by friction   − 2θ& 1 Rθ& 2 ρ sin (α + θ1 ) 
wheels without relative slipping), we can write  
+ J 1θ& 12 + J 2 θ& 22 + 
Ri θ 2 = rθ 3 , (4) 1 
T=  2  (14)
θ e = i e ,3 θ 3 . (5) 2 + J  Ri  θ& 2 +
3 2 
where ie,3 represents the gear ratio between engine   r  
 2 
and driving wheel 3.   R  
 + J e i e ,3  r  θ 2
2 i &2
These five relations contain seven 
   
unknowns: xG , y G , ξ, θ1 , θ 2 , θ 3 , θ e . That means,
From the above expression, it is now evident
as we already pointed out, that the system has two
degrees of freedom. Taking, for example, as that the independent coordinates are θ1 and θ 2 .
independent variables θ1 and θ 2 , the other five
2.6. Mechanical work
coordinates will result easily from the equations
The mechanical work done by external
presented above.
forces will be:
W = C e θ e − C rr θ 2 − Mg ρ [1 − sin (α + θ1 )] . (15)
In the particular case of the steady-state
rectilinear motion, the position angle θ1 remains
where, in accordance with (1) to (5), we shall put:
constant in value. Consequently, the y G -
R
coordinate will be also constant, and so we shall θ e = i e ,3 i θ 2 . (16)
r
have only four equations between five coordinates
Then, in terms of independent coordinates,
xG , ξ, θ 2 , θ 3 , θ e . In that case, the system will have
the mechanical work will be
only one degree-of-freedom (as in the case of an R
ordinary motorcycle). Such a system is a so-called W = C e ie,3 i θ 2 − C rr θ 2 −
desmodromic system. r (17)
− M g ρ[1 − sin (α + θ1 )].
2.5. Kinetic energy Here, we have to note that the external
The kinetic energy of the entire vehicle is forces Fx and F y will not develop mechanical
the sum between the kinetic energies of its work, because they are always acting in a point at
constituents: instantaneous rest (the contact point K) [3].
Evidently, this fact stands on the assumption that
1 MvG + J 1ω1 + J 2 ω 2 + J 3 ω32 + 
2 2 2 there is no sliding of the wheel on the road.
T=  , (6)
2 + J ω 2 
 e e 3. Differential equations of motion
where: 3.1. Lagrange’s equations
2
vG = x& G
2
+ 2
y& G , (7) The Lagrange equations have the form [4]
ω = θ& 1, (8) d  ∂T  ∂T ∂W
1 − = , j = 1,2 (18)
 
dt  ∂q& j  ∂q j ∂q j
ξ&
ω2 = , (9)
R Here, the generalized coordinates are
R R ξ& q1 = θ1 , q 2 = θ 2 . (19)
ω3 = i ω 2 = i , (10)
Taking the corresponding derivatives,
r rR
required by equations (18), we get the following
R ξ&
ω e = i e ,3 ω 3 = i e ,3 i . (11) two differential equations:
rR
RECENT, Vol. 10, no. 3(27), November, 2009 247
 Monowheel Dynamics

(Mρ 2 +&&J1 )&θ&1 − 2MρRθ& 1θ& 2 cos(α + θ1 ) − (20)

if under accelerating conditions his rotation to the
− MρRθ 2 sin (α + θ1 ) = Mgρ cos(α + θ1 ) , back is more or less unpleasant, under extremely
braking conditions, the outer wheel may drive the
inner body together with the driver, in a complete
  overturn. All these extreme conditions must be
 
 MR + J 2 + 
2 avoided by design and manageable by the driver.
 2  4. Last but not least, the problem of lateral
 Ri 
MρRθ1 sin (α + θ1 ) + θ 2 + J 3   +  =
&& &&  stability (ensured by gyroscopic effect), gives
  r   another field to future studies.
  (21)
 2
2  R  5. References
 + J e i e ,3   
i
   
r 1. ***: http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com. Accessed: 2009-02-14
2. Botezatu, D., Deliu, G.: The Study and the Design of the
R  Monowheel Vehicle Model using CAD software.
= C e ie,3  i  − C rr . Proceedings of COMEC 2007 2nd International
 r  Conference, Transilvania University of Brasov, p. 213-
216, ISBN 978-973-598-117-4, October 2007, Brasov,
4. Conclusions Romania
3. Deliu, G.: Mechanics for Engineering Students. Albastra
1. Evidently, these two differential equations Publishing House, ISBN 973-650-082-9, Cluj-Napoca,
can be integrated only in a numerical way. 2002
However, even without integration, a simple 4. Dragos, L.: Principiile mecanicii analitice (Analytical
qualitative analysis can give some useful Mechanics Principles). Tehnica Publishing House,
Bucuresti, 1976 (in Romanian)
information about the motion.
First, we can easily see that in the simplest
case of motion, namely in the steady-state plane
motion, these equations give
R 1
C e ie,3 i − C rr = 0 , (22)
rR R
Mg ρ cos(α + θ1 ) = 0 . (23)
From the equation (22), we can find the
minimum torque of the engine, necessary to ensure
the uniform motion at small speeds:
C r Mg s r
C e = rr = (24)
ie,3 Ri ie,3 Ri
Further, from the equation (23) we find that,
in steady-state conditions at low speed, the centre
of mass of the inner body 1 must be placed on the
vertical line passing by the centre O of the outer
wheel 2. Indeed, cos(α + θ1 ) = 0 leads to this
conclusion.
2. When one is studying an actual situation,
the formulation of the problem is more
complicated, of course. We must take into account
the air resistance, which is a function of the speed
having the form
Fair = k S v 2 , (25)
where k is an aerodynamic coefficient, S is the
frontal area of the assembly vehicle-rider, and v is
the speed.
3. Moreover, the study has to be extended to
the accelerating or braking conditions. These
conditions are more difficult for the driver, because

248 RECENT, Vol. 10, no. 3(27), November, 2009