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D. J. Inman
1/44
Section1.4 Modeling and Energy
Methods

An alternative way to determine the
equation of motion and an alternative way
to calculate the natural frequency of a
system

Useful if the forces or torques acting on
the object or mechanical part are difficult
to determine
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D. J. Inman
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Potential and Kinetic Energy
The potential energy of mechanical
systems U is often stored in springs
(remember that for a spring F=kx)
U
spring
= F
0
x
0
}
dx = kx
0
x
0
}
dx =
1
2
kx
0
2
The kinetic energy of mechanical systems T is due to the
motion of the mass in the system
u = =
2 2
1 1
,
2 2
trans rot
T mx T J
M
k
x
0

Mass
Spring
x=0
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D. J. Inman
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Conservation of Energy
T +U = constant
or
d
dt
(T +U) = 0
For a simple, conservative (i.e. no damper), mass spring
system the energy must be conserved:
At two different times t
1
and t
2
the increase in potential
energy must be equal to a decrease in kinetic energy (or visa-
versa).
U
1
U
2
= T
2
T
1
and
U
max
= T
max
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D. J. Inman
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Deriving the equation of motion
from the energy
( )
| |
+ = + =
|
\ .
+ =
+ =
2 2
1 1
( ) 0
2 2
0
Since cannot be zero for all time, then
0
d d
T U mx kx
dt dt
x mx kx
x
mx kx
M
k
x
Mass
Spring
x=0
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D. J. Inman
5/44
Determining the Natural frequency
directly from the energy
U
max
=
1
2
kA
2
T
max
=
1
2
m(e
n
A)
2
Since these two values must be equal
1
2
kA
2
=
1
2
m(e
n
A)
2
k = me
n
2
e
n
=
k
m
If the solution is given by x(t)= Asin(et+|) then the maximum
potential and kinetic energies can be used to calculate the natural
frequency of the system
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D. J. Inman
6/44
Example 1.4.1
Compute the natural frequency of
this roller fixed in place by a spring.
Assume it is a conservative system
(i.e. no losses) and rolls with out
slipping.
2 2
2
1
2
1
x m T J T

= =
trans rot
and u
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D. J. Inman
7/44
Solution continued
u u
e
e
e e
e e
= = =
=
| |
= + = +
|
\ .
=
= =
| |
+ =
|
\ .
2
Rot
2
max
2
2 2 2
max
2 2
max
2
max max max
2 2 2
2
1
2
The max value of happens at
( ) 1 1 1
( )
2 2 2
The max value of happens at
1
Thus
2
1 1
2 2
n
n
n n
n
x
x r x r T J
r
T v A
A J
T J m A m A
r r
U x A
U kA T U
J
m A kA
r
=
| |
+
|
\ .
2
n
k
J
m
r
Effective mass
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D. J. Inman
8/44
Example 1.4.2 Determine the equation of
motion of the pendulum using energy
u
m
mg

2
m J =
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D. J. Inman
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Solution
u u
u
u
u u
= =
=

| |
+ = + =
|
\ .
2 2 2
0
2 2
1 1
2 2
(1 cos ), the change in elevation
is (1 cos )
1
( ) (1 cos ) 0
2
T J m
U mg
d d
T U m mg
dt dt
Write down the energy
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D. J. Inman
Solution
10/44
( )
uu u u
u u u
u u
u u
u u e
+ =
+ =
+ =
+ =
+ = =
2
2
2
(sin ) 0
(sin ) 0
(sin ) 0
( ) sin ( ) 0
( ) ( ) 0
n
m mg
m mg
m mg
g
t t
g g
t t
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D. J. Inman
Solution
11/44
( )
uu u u
u u u
u u
u u
u u e
+ =
+ =
+ =
+ =
+ = =
2
2
2
(sin ) 0
(sin ) 0
(sin ) 0
( ) sin ( ) 0
( ) ( ) 0
n
m mg
m mg
m mg
g
t t
g g
t t
Virginia Tech
D. J. Inman
Solution
What if we thought of this as an equivalent mass-spring system

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D. J. Inman
13/44
Example 1.4.4 The effect of including the mass of
the spring on the value of the frequency.
x(t)
m
s
, k
y
y +dy
m

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D. J. Inman
14/44

mass of element dy :
m
s
dy
velocity of element dy : v
dy
=
y
x (t),

`

)

assumptions
T
spring
=
1
2
m
s
0
}
y
x



(

(
2
dy (adds up the KE of each element)
=
1
2
m
s
3
|
\

|
.
|
x
2
T
mass
=
1
2
m x
2
T
tot
=
1
2
m
s
3
|
\

|
.
|
+
1
2
m



(

(
x
2
T
max
=
1
2
m+
m
s
3
|
\

|
.
|
e
n
2
A
2
U
max
=
1
2
kA
2

e
n
=
k
m+
m
s
3
This provides some
simple design and
modeling guides
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D. J. Inman
15/44
What about gravity?
m
m

+x(t)
0
k
mg
kA
+x(t)
A
= A +
=
=
2
2
1
( )
2
1
2
spring
grav
U k x
U mgx
T mx
m equilibriu static and
FBD, from , 0 = A k mg
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D. J. Inman
16/44
+ =
(
+ A + =
(

+ A +
+ + A =
+ =
2 2
0 from static
equilibiurm
Now use ( ) 0
1 1
( ) 0
2 2
( )
( ) ( ) 0
0
d
T U
dt
d
mx mgx k x
dt
mxx mgx k x x
x mx kx x k mg
mx kx
Gravity does not effect the
equation of motion or the natural
frequency of the system for a linear
system as shown previously with a
force balance.