1

VIBRATION ABSORBER
Revision E


By Tom Irvine
Email: tomirvine@aol.com

May 21, 2012
_______________________________________________________________________

Two-degree-of-freedom System

Consider the system in Figure 1.



















Figure 1.


A free-body diagram of mass 1 is given in Figure 2. A free-body diagram of mass 2 is
given in Figure 3.

k
1

k
2

x
1

m
2

m
1

x
2

f
1
(t)

2















Figure 2.



Determine the equation of motion for mass 1.


1 1
x m F

= (1)



1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1
x k ) x x ( k ) t ( f x m + = (2)

) t ( f x k ) x x ( k x m
1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1
= + (3)

) t ( f x k ) x x ( k x m
1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1
= + + + (4)

) t ( f x k x ) k k ( x m
1 2 2 1 2 1 1 1
= + + (5)















x
1

k
1
x
1

m
1

f
1
(t)
k
2
(x
2
-x
1
)

3














Figure 3.





Derive the equation of motion for mass 2.


2 2
x m F

= (6)

) x x ( k x m
1 2 2 2 2
= (7)

0 ) x x ( k x m
1 2 2 2 2
= + (8)

0 x k x k x m
1 2 2 2 2 2
= + (9)


Assemble the equations in matrix form.


(

=
(

+
+
(

0
) t ( f
x
x
k k
k k k
x
x
m 0
0 m
1
2
1
2 2
2 2 1
2
1
2
1


(10)


The homogenous form is


(

=
(

+
+
(

0
0
x
x
k k
k k k
x
x
m 0
0 m
2
1
2 2
2 2 1
2
1
2
1


(11)

x
2

m
2

f
2
(t)
k
3
x
2

k
2
(x
2
-x
1
)

4


Seek a solution of the form

) t j exp( q x e = (12)


The q vector is the generalized coordinate vector.

Note that

) t j exp( q j x e e = (13)

) t j exp( q x
2
e e = (14)


The generalized eigenvalue problem is


0 ) t j exp(
q
q
m 0
0 m
k k
k k k
2
1
2
1 2
2 2
2 2 1
= e
(

)
`

e
(

+
(15)


0
m 0
0 m
k k
k k k
det
2
1 2
2 2
2 2 1
=
)
`

e
(

+
(16)


0
m k k
k m k k
det
2
2
2 2
2 1
2
2 1
=
(
(

e
e +
(17)



( )( ) 0 k m k m k k
2
2 2
2
2 1
2
2 1
= e e + (18)




0 m m k m k m k m k k k
2 1
4
2 2
2
1 2
2
2 1
2 2
2 2 1
= e + e e e + (19)



( ) 0 k k k m k m k m m m
2 1 2 2 1 2 2 1
2
2 1
4
= + + + e e (20)


5


( ) | | 0 k k k k m k m m m
2 1 2 1 2 2 1
2
2 1
4
= + + + e e (21)



The eigenvalues are the roots of the polynomial.


a 2
ac 4 b b
2
2
1

= e (22)


a 2
ac 4 b b
2
2
2
+
= e (23)


where

2 1
m m a = (24)


( ) | |
2 1 2 2 1
k k m k m b + + = (25)


2 1
k k c = (26)


Frequency Response Function

Let

( ) t j exp F ) t ( f
1 1
e = (27)


( ) t j exp X ) t ( x
1 1
e = (28)


( ) t j exp X ) t ( x
2 2
e = (29)






6

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) t j exp F t j exp X k t j exp X ) k k ( t j exp X m
1 2 2 1 2 1 1 1
2
e = e e + + e e (30)


1 2 2 1 2 1 1 1
2
F X k X ) k k ( X m = + + e (31)


| |
1 2 2 1 1
2
2 1
F X k X m ) k k ( = e + (32)


Recall the equation for mass 2.


0 x k x k x m
1 2 2 2 2 2
= + (33)


0 X k X k X m
1 2 2 2 2 2
2
= + e (34)


| | 0 X k X m k
1 2 2 2
2
2
= e (35)



| |
1
2
2
2
2
2
X
m k
k
X
e
= (36)


By substitution,

| |
| |
1 1
2
2
2
2
2
1 1
2
2 1
F X
m k
k
X m ) k k ( =
e
e + (37)



| || | | |
2
2
2 1 1
2
2 1 2
2
2 1
2
2 1
m k F X k X m k m ) k k ( e = e e + (38)




| || | { } | |
2
2
2 1 1
2
2 2
2
2 1
2
2 1
m k F X k m k m ) k k ( e = e e + (39)




7

| |
| || |
2
2 2
2
2 1
2
2 1
2
2
2 1
1
k m k m ) k k (
m k F
X
e e +
e
= (40)



| || |
2
2 2
2
2 1
2
2 1
2
2
2
1
1
k m k m ) k k (
m k
F
X
e e +
e
= (41)




| |

)

e
(

e +
e
=
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1 2
1
2
1
2
2
2
1
1
k
k
m k
k
m
k
k
1 k
m k
F
X
(42)




| |

)

e
(

e +
e
=
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1 2
1
2
2
2
2
1
1 1
k
k
m k
k
m
k
k
1
m k
F
X k
(43)




)
`

e
(

e +
e
=
1
2
2
2 2
1
1 2
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1 1
k
k
k
m
1
k
m
k
k
1 k
m k
F
X k
(44)



)
`

e
(

e +
e
=
1
2
2
2 2
1
1 2
1
2
2
2 2
1
1 1
k
k
k
m
1
k
m
k
k
1
k
m
1
F
X k
(45)






8


Let

1
1
2
11
m
k
= e

(46)


2
2
2
22
m
k
= e

(47)




By substitution,


1
2
2
22
2
11 1
2
2
22
1
1 1
k
k
1
k
k
1
1
F
X k

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

=

(48)




| |
1
2
2
2
2
2
X
m k
k
X
e
=
(49)

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

=
1
2
2
22
2
11 1
2
2
22
1
1
1
k
k
1
k
k
1
1
k
F
X

(50)




9




| |

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

e
=
1
2
2
22
2
11 1
2
2
22
1
2
2
2
2
1
2
k
k
1
k
k
1
1
k
k
m k
F
X
(51)

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

e
=
1
2
2
22
2
11 1
2
2
22
1 2
2
2
2
2
1
2
k
k
1
k
k
1
1
k m
k
m
k
F
X
(52)


| |

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

e e
e
=
1
2
2
22
2
11 1
2
2
22
2 2
22
1 1
2
22
2
k
k
1
k
k
1
1
k / F
X
(53)

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

=
1
2
2
22
2
11 1
2
2
22
2
22
1 1
2
k
k
1
k
k
1
1
1
k / F
X
(54)




10

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

=
1
2
2
22
2
11 1
2
2
22
2
22
1 1
2
k
k
1
k
k
1
1
1
k / F
X
(55)

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
=
1
2
2
22
2
11 1
2
1 1
2
k
k
1
k
k
1
k / F
X
(56)



Note that for
2 2 22
m / k = e = e ,


0 X
1
=

(57)




2 1 2
k / F X =
(58)


The force acting on m
2
is:
1
F

11



0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 0.8 1.25
e / e
22
X
1

k
1

/

F
o
TRANSFER MAGNITUDE



Figure 4.


The curve in Figure 4 is taken from equation (50).




Let
1
2
m
m
= (59)


2
11
22
1
2
k
k
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
= (60)




= 0.20

22
/
11
= 1.0

12





0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
MASS RATIO
(

e

/

e
2
2

)


Figure 5.



The natural frequencies are shown as a function of mass ratio in Figure 5.



System with Damping

The derivation for a system with damping is given in Appendix A.


References

1. W. Thomson, Theory of Vibrations with Applications, Second Edition, Prentice-
Hall, New Jersey, 1981.

2. R. Vierck, Vibration Analysis, 2nd Edition, Harper Collins, New York, 1979.



0 . 1
11
22
=
e
e


13

APPENDIX A



Two-degree-of-freedom System with Damping

Consider the system in Figure A-1.



















Figure A-1.


A free-body diagram of mass 1 is given in Figure A-2. A free-body diagram of mass
2 is given in Figure A-3.
f
1
(t)
c

k
1

k
2

x
1

m
2

m
1

x
2


14















Figure A-2.



Determine the equation of motion for mass 1.


1 1
x m F

= (A-1)



( )
1 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 1
x k ) x x ( k x x c ) t ( f x m + + = (A-2)

( ) ) t ( f x k ) x x ( k x x c x m
1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 1
= +

(A-3)

( ) ) t ( f x k ) x x ( k x x c x m
1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 1
= + + + + + (A-4)

) t ( f x k x ) k k ( x c x c x m
1 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1
= + + + (A-5)















x
1

k
1
x
1

m
1

f
1
(t)
k
2
(x
2
-x
1
)
( )
1 2
x x c

15














Figure A-3.





Derive the equation of motion for mass 2.


2 2
x m F

= (A-6)

( ) ) x x ( k x x c x m
1 2 2 1 2 2 2
= (A-7)

( ) 0 ) x x ( k x x c x m
1 2 2 1 2 2 2
= + + (A-8)

0 x k x k x c x c x m
1 2 2 2 1 2 2 2
= + + (A-9)


Assemble the equations in matrix form.



(

=
(

+
+
(

+
(

0
) t ( f
x
x
k k
k k k
x
x
c c
c c
x
x
m 0
0 m
1
2
1
2 2
2 2 1
2
1
2
1
2
1

(A-10)



x
2

m
2

f
2
(t)
k
3
x
2

k
2
(x
2
-x
1
)
( )
1 2
x x c

16


The homogenous, undamped form is


(

=
(

+
+
(

0
0
x
x
k k
k k k
x
x
m 0
0 m
2
1
2 2
2 2 1
2
1
2
1


(A-11)


Seek a solution of the form

) t j exp( q x e = (A-12)


The q vector is the generalized coordinate vector.

Note that

) t j exp( q j x e e = (A-13)

) t j exp( q x
2
e e = (A-14)


The generalized eigenvalue problem is


0 ) t j exp(
q
q
m 0
0 m
k k
k k k
2
1
2
1 2
2 2
2 2 1
= e
(

)
`

e
(

+
(A-15)


0
m 0
0 m
k k
k k k
det
2
1 2
2 2
2 2 1
=
)
`

e
(

+
(A-16)


0
m k k
k m k k
det
2
2
2 2
2 1
2
2 1
=
(
(

e
e +
(A-17)



( )( ) 0 k m k m k k
2
2 2
2
2 1
2
2 1
= e e + (A-18)




17


0 m m k m k m k m k k k
2 1
4
2 2
2
1 2
2
2 1
2 2
2 2 1
= e + e e e + (A-19)



( ) 0 k k k m k m k m m m
2 1 2 2 1 2 2 1
2
2 1
4
= + + + e e (A-20)


( ) | | 0 k k k k m k m m m
2 1 2 1 2 2 1
2
2 1
4
= + + + e e (A-21)



The eigenvalues are the roots of the polynomial.


a 2
ad 4 b b
2
2
1

= e (A-22)


a 2
ad 4 b b
2
2
2
+
= e (A-23)


where

2 1
m m a = (A-24)


( ) | |
2 1 2 2 1
k k m k m b + + = (A-25)


2 1
k k d = (A-26)


Frequency Response Function

Let

( ) t j exp F ) t ( f
1 1
e = (A-27)


( ) t j exp X ) t ( x
1 1
e = (A-28)


18


( ) t j exp X ) t ( x
2 2
e = (A-29)




( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) t j exp F t j exp X k t j exp cX j
t j exp X ) k k ( t j exp cX j t j exp X m
1 2 2 2
1 2 1 1 1 1
2
e = e e e
e + + e e + e e


(A-30)


1 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 1
2
F X k cX j X ) k k ( cX j X m = e + + e + e (A-31)


| | | |
1 2 2 1 1
2
2 1
F X c j k X c j m ) k k ( = e + e + e + (A-32)



Recall the equation for mass 2.


0 x k x k x c x c x m
1 2 2 2 1 2 2 2
= + + (A-33)


0 X k X jc X k X jc X m
1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2
= e + e + e (A-34)


| | | | 0 X jc k X jc m k
1 2 2 2
2
2
= e + e + e (A-35)



| |
1
2
2
2
2
2
X
jc m k
jc k
X
e + e
e +
= (A-36)




19


By substitution,

| |
| |
| |
1 1
2
2
2
2 2
1 1
2
2 1
F X
jc m k
jc k k
X jc m ) k k ( =
e + e
e +
e + e + (A-37)



| || | | |
| | e + e =
e + e + e e + e +
jc m k F
X jc k k X jc m k jc m ) k k (
2
2
2 1
1 2 2 1 2
2
2 1
2
2 1


(A-38)


| || | | | { }
| | e + e =
e + e + e e + e +
jc m k F
X jc k k jc m k jc m ) k k (
2
2
2 1
1 2 2 2
2
2 1
2
2 1


(A-39)


| |
| || | | | e + e + e e + e +
e + e
=
jc k k jc m k jc m ) k k (
jc m k F
X
2 2 2
2
2 1
2
2 1
2
2
2 1
1

(A-40)



| |
| || | | | e + e + e e + e +
e + e
=
jc k k jc m k jc m ) k k (
jc m k
F
X
2 2 2
2
2 1
2
2 1
2
2
2
1
1
(A-41)



| |
| |
)
`

e
+ e + e
(

e
+ e +
e + e
=
1 1
2
2 2
2
2
1 1
1 2
1
2
1
2
2
2
1
1
k
c
j
k
k
k jc m k
k
c
j
k
m
k
k
1 k
jc m k
F
X


(A-42)



20


| |
| |
(

e
+ e + e
(

e
+ e +
e + e
=
1 1
2
2 2
2
2
1 1
1 2
1
2
2
2
2
1
1 1
k
c
j
k
k
k jc m k
k
c
j
k
m
k
k
1
jc m k
F
X k

(A-43)


| |
(

e
+
(

e
+ e
(

e
+ e +
e + e
=
1 1
2
2
2 2
2 2
1 1
1 2
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1 1
k
c
j
k
k
k
k
c
j
k
m
1
k
c
j
k
m
k
k
1 k
jc m k
F
X k


(A-44)

(

e
+
(

e
+ e
(

e
+ e +
(

e
+ e
=
1 1
2
2 2
2 2
1 1
1 2
1
2
2 2
2 2
1
1 1
k
c
j
k
k
k
c
j
k
m
1
k
c
j
k
m
k
k
1
k
c
j
k
m
1
F
X k

(A-45)


Let
1
1
2
11
m
k
= e

(A-46)


2
2
2
22
m
k
= e

(A-47)



(

e
+
(
(

e
+
e
e

(
(

e
+
e
e
+
(
(

e
+
e
e

=
1 1
2
2
2
22
2
1
2
11
2
1
2
2
2
22
2
1
1 1
k
c
j
k
k
k
c
j 1
k
c
j
k
k
1
k
c
j 1
F
X k

(A-48)







21

Let
1
2
m
m
= (A-49)


2
11
22
1
2
k
k
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
= (A-50)



(
(

e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

e
+
e
e

(
(

e
+
e
e

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
(
(

e
+
e
e

=
1
2
11
22
2
2
22
2
1
2
11
2
2
11
22
2
2
22
2
1
1 1
k
c
j
k
c
j 1
k
c
j 1
k
c
j 1
F
X k


(A-51)


(
(
(

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(
(

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
e
e

(
(
(

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
e
e

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
(
(
(

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
e
e

=
2
2
11
2
11
22
2
2
22
2
22
2
2
2
11
2
11
2
2
11
22
2
2
22
2
22
2
1
1 1
m
c
j
m
c
j 1
m
c
j 1
m
c
j 1
F
X k


(A-52)

Let


22
2
2
m
c
e = (A-53)





22



















(A-54)

(
(

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e

(
(

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
e
e

(
(

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
e
e

|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
(
(

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
e
e
+
e
e

=
11
11
22
2
11
22
22
2
22
2
11
11
22
2
11
2
2
11
22
22
2
22
2
1
1 1
2 j 2 j 1 2 j 1
2 j 1
F
X k

23





0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 0.8 1.25
e / e
22
X
1

k
1

/

F
o
TRANSFER MAGNITUDE



Figure A-4.




Equation (A-54) is plotted in Figure A-4 for a particular case.
= 0.20

22
/
11
= 1.0
= 0.05