BENDING FREQUENCIES OF BEAMS, RODS, AND PIPES Revision K

By Tom Irvine
Email: tomirvine@aol.com
June 24, 2004
Introduction
The fundamental frequencies for typical beam configurations are given in Table 1.
Higher frequencies are given for selected configurations.

Table 1. Bending Frequencies

Configuration Frequency (Hz)

1 3.5156 EI
f1 =
2 L2
Cantilever

f 2 = 6.268 f1

f 3 = 17.456 f1

1 3EI
Cantilever with f1=
End Mass m
2 (0.2235 L + m ) L3

Simply-Supported 2
1 n EI
at both Ends fn = , n = 1, 2, 3, ...
(Pinned-Pinned) 2 L

1 22.373 EI
f1=
2 L2
Free-Free

f 2 = 2.757 f 1

f 3 = 5.404 f 1

Fixed-Fixed Same as Free-Free

1 15.418 EI
f1=
2 L2
Fixed - Pinned

1
where

E is the modulus of elasticity.

I is the area moment of inertia.
L is the length.
is the mass density (mass/length).

The derivations and examples are given in the appendices per Table 2.

Table 2. Table of Contents

Appendix Title Mass Solution

A Cantilever Beam I End mass. Beam mass Approximate

is negligible
B Cantilever Beam II Beam mass only. Approximate

C Cantilever Beam III Both beam mass and Approximate

the end mass are
significant
D Cantilever Beam IV Beam mass only. Eigenvalue

E Beam Simply- Center mass. Beam Approximate

Supported at Both mass is negligible.
Ends I
F Beam Simply- Beam mass only Eigenvalue
Supported at Both
Ends II
G Free-Free Beam Beam mass only Eigenvalue

H Steel Pipe example, Beam mass only Approximate

Simply Supported
and Fixed-Fixed
Cases
I Rocket Vehicle Beam mass only Approximate
Example, Free-free
Beam
J Fixed-Fixed Beam Beam mass only Eigenvalue

Reference

1. T. Irvine, Application of the Newton-Raphson Method to Vibration Problems,

Vibrationdata Publications, 1999.

2
 APPENDIX G

Free-Free Beam

Consider a uniform beam with free-free boundary conditions.

EI,

Figure G-1.

The governing differential equation is

4 y 2 y
EI = (G-1)
x 4 t 2

Note that this equation neglects shear deformation and rotary inertia.

The following equation is obtain using the method in Appendix D

d4
Y( x) c 2 Y( x) = 0 (G-2)
dx 4 EI

The proposed solution is

Y( x) = a1 sinh( x) + a 2 cosh( x) + a 3 sin( x) + a 4 cos( x) (G-3)

dY( x)
= a1 cosh( x) + a 2 sinh( x) + a 3 cos( x) a 4 sin( x) (G-4)
dx

d 2 Y ( x)
= a1 2 sinh( x) + a 2 2 cosh( x) a 3 2 sin( x) a 4 2 cos( x) (G-5)
dx 2

d 3 Y(x )
= a1 3 cosh ( x ) + a 2 3 sinh ( x ) a 3 3 cos( x ) + a 43 sin ( x ) (G-6)
dx 3
Apply the boundary conditions.

33
 d2Y
=0 (zero bending moment) (G-7)
dx 2 x =0

a2 a4 = 0 (G-8)

a4 = a2 (G-9)

d 3Y
=0 (zero shear force) (G-10)
dx 3 x =0

a1 a 3 = 0 (G-11)

a 3 = a1 (G-12)

d 2 Y(x )
= a1 2 [sinh ( x ) sin (x )] + a 2 2 [cosh ( x ) cos( x )] (G-13)
dx 2

d3 Y ( x )
= a13 [cosh ( x ) cos(x )] + a 23 [sinh (x ) + sin ( x )] (G-14)
dx 3

d 2Y
= 0 (zero bending moment) (G-15)
dx 2
x= L

34
 a1[sinh ( L ) sin ( L )] + a 2 [cosh ( L ) cos( L )] = 0 (G-16)

d 3Y
= 0 (zero shear force) (G-17)
dx 3
x= L

a1[cosh ( L ) cos( L )] + a 2 [sinh ( L ) + sin ( L )] = 0 (G-18)

Equation (G-16) and (G-18) can be arranged in matrix form.

sinh ( L ) sin ( L ) cosh ( L ) cos( L ) a1 0

= (G-19)

cosh ( L ) cos(L ) sinh ( L ) + sin ( L ) a 2 0

Set the determinant equal to zero.

[sinh (L ) sin (L )][sinh (L ) + sin (L )] [cosh (L ) cos(L )]2 = 0 (G-20)

sinh 2 ( L ) sin 2 ( L ) cosh 2 ( L ) + 2 cosh ( L )cos( L ) cos 2 (L ) = 0 (G-21)

+ 2 cosh ( L )cos( L ) 2 = 0 (G-22)

cosh ( L )cos(L ) 1 = 0 (G-23)

The roots can be found via the Newton-Raphson method, Reference 1. The first root is

L = 4.73004 (G-24)

35
 EI
n = n2 (G-25)

2
4.73004 EI
1= (G-26)
L

22.373 EI
1= L2 (G-27)

The second root is

L = 7.85320 (G-28)

EI
n = n2 (G-29)

2
7.85320 EI
2 = L (G-30)

61.673 EI
2 = 2 (G-31)
L

2 = 2.757 1 (G-32)

The third root is

L = 10.9956 (G-33)

EI
n = n2 (G-34)

2
10.9956 EI
3= (G-35)
L

36
 120.903 EI
3= 2 (G-36)
L

3 = 5.404 1 (G-37)

Equation (G-18) can be expressed as

cosh ( L ) + cos( L )
a 2 = a1 (G-38)
sinh ( L ) + sin ( L )

Recall

a4 = a2 (G-39)

a 3 = a1 (G-40)

The displacement mode shape is thus

Y( x ) = a1[sinh ( x ) + sin ( x )] + a 2 [cosh (x ) + cos(x )] (G-41)

cosh ( L ) + cos( L )
Y( x ) = a1[sinh ( x ) + sin ( x )] + [cosh(x ) + cos(x )] (G-42)
sinh ( L ) + sin ( L )

37
An alternate form is

Y(x ) =

a1{[sinh ( L ) + sin ( L )][sinh (x ) + sin ( x )] + [ cosh ( L ) + cos( L )][cosh (x ) + cos( x )]}

(G-43)

The first derivative is

dy
=
dx

a1 {[sinh ( L ) + sin (L )][cosh ( x ) + cos( x )] + [ cosh ( L ) + cos(L )][sinh ( x ) sin ( x )]}

(G-44)

The second derivative is

d2y
=
dx 2

a12 {[sinh ( L ) + sin ( L )][sinh ( x ) sin ( x )] + [ cosh ( L ) + cos( L )][cosh ( x ) cos( x )]}

(G-45)

38