Double pendulum research history

The report analyzes the scientists’ works on the dynamics of one of the most popular mechanical systems with two degrees of freedom – a double gravitational pendulum. The results of initial studies (A. Clairaut, D. Bernoulli and L. Euler) are presented, and also the historical applications of the double pendulum to solve the Cologne bell problem (W. Veltmann) and to determine the moments of inertia of solids (V. P. Vetchinkin, N. G. Chentsov). In addition, classical works of foreign (H. Lamb, H. Bouasse, T. von Karman, M. Biot, K. Klotter, S. P. Timoshenko, W. MacMillan) and domestic (Ya. L. Geronimus, L. G. Loytsyansky, A. I. Lurie, N. V. Rose, M. M. Gernet, V. F. Ratobylsky and others) authors of the beginning and middle of the last century where are studies of double pendulum are demonstrated. In conclusion, modern and promising directions of double pendulum research are discussed.