MAE 384. Advanced Numerical Methods for Engineers.

Homework Assignment 5. Due June 16.

1. Consider the 4th -order Runge-Kutta method as derived in class:

yn+1/2

yn+1/2

yn+1

yn+1

t
f (tn , yn )
2
t

= yn +
f (tn+1/2 , yn+1/2
)
2

= yn + t f (tn+1/2 , yn+1/2
)
h
i
t

= yn +
f (tn , yn ) + 2f (tn+1/2 , yn+1/2
) + 2f (tn+1/2 , yn+1/2
) + f (tn+1 , yn+1
)
6
= yn +

(a) Find the stability limit for the simple ODE

dy
= y, y(0) = y0
dt
That is, find the limit on t in order that the method remains stable. Is this method conditionally
stable, unconditionally stable, or unconditionally unstable? Comment on its stability relative to the
Euler explicit method. Be sure to show your work.
(b) Show that this method has a global truncation error of O(t4 ).
2. Consider the dierential equation:
dy
1
= y sin2 t
dt
2
with initial condition given by
y(0) = 1
Solve this equation from t = 0 to t = 10 using the following methods:
(a) Solve analytically by separating variables and integrating.
(b) Solve using the Euler explicit method. Use a time step size of 0.5.
(c) Solve using the 4th-order Runge-Kutta method. Once again, use a time step size of 0.5.
(d) Solve using the MATLAB function ODE45.
(e) Compare the results for the four methods.
3. A car and its suspension system traveling over a bumpy road can be modeled as a mass/spring/damper
system. In this model, y1 is the vertical motion of the wheel center of mass, y2 is the vertical motion of the car
chassis, and y0 represents the displacement of the bottom of the tire due to the variation in the road surface.

Spring/mass/damper model for an automobile suspension system.

1

Applying Newtons law to the two masses yields a system of second-order equations:
m1 y1 + c2 (y 1 y 2 ) + k2 (y1 y2 ) + k1 y1

= k1 y0

m2 y2 c2 (y 1 y 2 ) k2 (y1 y2 ) = 0

(a) Convert the two second-order ODEs into a system of 4 first-order ODEs. Write them in standard form.
(b) Assume the car hits a pothole at t = 0 so that
#
0.4 m
y0 (t) =
0

0t<2s
t>2s

Create a MATLAB function that returns the right hand sides of the equations derived in part (a) for an
input t and input values of the displacements and velocities. Solve the system on the time interval [0
60] seconds using the MATLAB function ode45. Find the displacement and velocity of the chassis and
the wheel as a function of time. Use the following data: m1 = 70 kg, m2 = 1900 kg, k1 = 2000 N/m,
k2 = 200 N/m, c2 = 200 N-s/m. Does this seem like a good design?
(c) Estimate the acceleration of the wheel and the chassis at t = 0.
Present your results for the above 2 problems in an appropriate fashion. For problem 2, be sure to include a
comparison of the numerical methods with each other and with the true solution. Be sure to discuss your findings
with respect to the notions of stability and accuracy of the numerical methods. For problem 3, ensure that your
results are easily interpreted by a reader. Students receiving a score of 70% or above on these two problems will
receive credit for Outcome #6.
4. The vibration of a cantilever beam is given by the partial dierential equation:
@2u @4u
+
=0
@t2
@x4
where u(x, t) is the displacement. The beam has length `; the clamped (fixed) end is at x = 0 and the free
end is at x = `. Since the equation is fourth-order in x, it must have 4 boundary conditions. These are given
as:
u(0, t)
@u
(0, t)
@x
@2u
(`, t)
@x2
@3u
(`, t)
@x3

= 0
= 0
= 0
= 0

The first two of these state that the displacement and the slope of the beam at the clamped end must be zero.
The latter two state that there is no force and no moment at the beam end (you may recognize this if you
have taken MAE 213).
(a) Using a separation constant of 4 , apply separation of variables and find the spatial and temporal (in
time) ODEs.
(b) Find the general form of solution for spatial and temporal functions. (i.e., without satisfying boundary
or initial conditions). Note that for any linear ODE with constant coecients, you can assume a solution
of the form erx and then find the roots, r. Be sure to find all four roots. (Recall that i4 = i4 = 1.)
(c) Show that the equation needed to find the eigenvalues (the s) is
cos ` cosh ` = 1
In order to do this, you may want to recall that aez + bez = A cosh z + B sinh z and ceiz + deiz =
C cos z + D sin z. Also, you may want to know that cosh2 u sinh2 u = 1. Find the first two eigenvalues
for ` = 1, and plot the beam mode shapes corresponding to these eigenvalues.
2

u(x,t)