View source for Chetaev principle

A variational-differential principle of mechanics, a modification of the [[Gauss principle|Gauss principle]], established by N.G. Chetaev [[#References|[1]]].

According to Chetaev's principle, the work on an elementary cycle, consisting of a direct motion in a fixed force field and an inverse (backward) motion in the force field, that would be sufficient for the creation of a real motion if the mechanical system were completely free, takes a relative (or global) maximum for the real motion in the class of all possible Gaussian motions. Chetaev's principle extends to physical systems and also to continuous media (cf. [[#References|[2]]]).

For some more details cf. [[Variational principles of classical mechanics|Variational principles of classical mechanics]].

====References====
<table><TR><TD valign="top">[1]</TD> <TD valign="top">  N.G. Chetaev,   "Modification of the Gauss principle"  ''Prikl. Mat. i Mekh.'' , '''5''' :  1  (1941)  pp. 11–12  (In Russian)</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[2]</TD> <TD valign="top">  V.V. Rumyantsev,   "On the Chetaev principle"  ''Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR'' , '''210''' :  4  (1973)  pp. 787–790  (In Russian)</TD></TR></table>