Mitul Patel 1

Determination Elastic Properties From The Vibration Frequencies Of Solid

Bodies
Mitul Patel

BSc (Hons) Applied Physics, St. Mary's University, Twickenham London

APH40000: Experimental Physics

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range of resources to industries. We had a chance to
visit three of the labs to see their research. This report
is based on one of the visit determining elastic
properties from the vibration frequencies of solid bodies.
The bodys mass (or density), dimensions, and elastic
properties controls the frequencies at which a freely
suspended body vibrates. Therefore, in order to
determine the elastic properties of the material from
which the body is made, it is important to choose the
right shape where the relationship between these
parameters are well known. A rectangular rod or round
rod is one that is more frequently used. Less frequently,
a disc is used. If all the different vibration modes are
known for these shapes, we can measure the
frequencies and hence the elastic properties can be
calculated for these shapes,. Lets identity the vibration
modes for these shapes.
Out- of plane bending of a flat strip
The vibration of a thin strip perpendicular to its plane will
give us a measure of youngs modulus along the length
of the strip. Along the length of the strip of the freely
suspended rod, there is a series of nodes (minimum
vibration) and antinodes (maximum vibration) as shown
in figure 1.
At the lowest resonant frequency or natural frequency
(n = 1 in figure 1), the nodes are 0.223 of the length of
the beam from both the ends, and the antinodes are at
each end and in the centre. As the harmonics increases
(n =2, 3, 4, 5,.etc), nodes and antinodes are more
closely packed as can be in the figure 1.
The frequencies have the ratio approximately:
1 : 2.757 : 5.404 : 8.933 : 13.344 : 18.638 : .....


Figure 1. Schematic view of a flat strip rod with a series of nodes and
antinodes along the length of a strip.

Torsion of a thin strip about its length
The resistance to twisting a strip is a measure of shear
modulus.
The frequencies have the ratio approximately:
1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : ..... as shown in Figure 2, which
are more convenient than the flexural modes.

Figure 2. Schematic view of a torsion thin strip with a series of
nodes and antinodes along the length of a strip.

n = 1
n = 2
n = 3
n = 4
n = 5
n = 6
n = 1
n = 2
n = 3
n = 4
n = 5
n = 6
n = 1
n = 2
n = 3
n = 4
n = 5
n = 6
n = 1
n = 2
n = 3
n = 4
n = 5
n = 6
Mitul Patel 2

Discs
These method have two out-of-plane vibration modes;
a symmetrical mode and a torsional mode, see figure 3.
The
Poissons ratio can be calculated, just by determining
the ratio of these fundamental modes. The Poissons
ratio can then be used to determine Youngs modulus,
or an alternative way of determining Youngs ratio is by
measuring the frequencies of these fundamental
modes. By calculating Youngs modulus and Poissons
ratio, shear modulus can be worked out.


Figure 3. Schematic view of two out of plane modes; symmetrical
and torsional.
Tapping and listening
The thin flat strip was placed on the stand and was only
supported at about 0.223 of the length from each end
and was taped in the centre. For torsional vibration, the
rod was supported at the centre, and was tapped on one
corner. For a disc, it was supported on a nodal circle at
about 0.7 of the disc radius, and was tapped either near
the edge or a little inside the nodal circle, in order to get
both the modes. This tapping produced different
vibrational frequencies. These vibrational frequencies
was recorded with a high-frequency close-proximity
microphone. The dimensions and data are given in
appendix 1. Due to the lack of the mass of the steel bar,
Youngs modulus was not calculated.
Calculations
*For a long thin beam in flexure, Youngs modulus E is
given by equation (1)
T
t
L
b
mf
E
f
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
3
3
2
9465 . 0 (1)
Where
2
) / ( 858 . 6 1 L t T + =

*Shear modulus G is given by equation (2)
(

+
=
A
B
bt
Lmf
G
t
1
4
2
(2)
where
(
(

+
+
=
6 2
) / ( 21 . 0 ) / ( 52 . 2 ) / ( 4
/ /
b t b t b t
b t t b
B
and A is close to 1 for 1< b/t < 2. For an elastically
isotropic material. Poissons ratio is then given by:
v = (E/2G) - 1

*The modulus equation for discs is:
3 2
2 2 2
) 1 ( 6991 . 37
t K
f md
E
n
n
v
= where v is determined
from the ratio of frequencies and K.

































E = Youngs modulus, GPa
G = shear modulus, GPa
v = Poissons ratio
m = mass, g
L = length, mm
t = thickness, mm
b = width, mm
ff = flexural frequency, Hz
ft = torsional frequency, Hz
fn = disc mode frequency Hz
d = disc diameter
K = look-up factor depending on t/d
ratio
Mitul Patel 3


Appendix 1

Dimensions of the bar:
Length = 99.20mm
Width 1 = 11.015mm
Width 2 = 11.009mm
Average width = 11.012mm
Thickness 1 = 4.844mm
Thickness 2 = 4.847mm
Thickness 3 = 4.848mm

Dimensions and mass of discs:
Mass = 147.1g
Diameter = 88.11mm
Radius = 44.055mm
Thickness = 7.598mm

Measured frequencies for bar:
Flexural:
2613.91Hz
2614.07Hz
Torsional:
11241.0Hz
11241.9Hz

Measured frequencies for disc:
15101.6Hz
32615.2Hz