Free Vibrations concept checklist

You should be able to:

1.Understand simple harmonic motion (amplitude, period, frequency,
phase)
2.Identify # DOF (and hence # vibration modes) for a system
3.Understand (qualitatively) meaning of natural frequency and Vibration
mode of a system
4.Calculate natural frequency of a 1DOF system (linear and nonlinear)
5.Write the EOM for simple spring-mass systems by inspection
6.Understand natural frequency, damped natural frequency, and Damping
factor for a dissipative 1DOF vibrating system
7.Know formulas for nat freq, damped nat freq and damping factor for
spring-mass system in terms of k,m,c
8.Understand underdamped, critically damped, and overdamped motion
of a dissipative 1DOF vibrating system
9.Be able to determine damping factor from a measured free vibration
response
10.Be able to predict motion of a freely vibrating 1DOF system given its

Number of DOF (and vibration modes)

If masses are particles:
Expected # vibration modes = # of masses x # of directions
masses can move independently
If masses are rigid bodies (can rotate, and have inertia)
Expected # vibration modes = # of masses x (# of directions
masses can move + # possible axes of rotation)

x1

x2

k
m

Vibration modes and natural frequencies

A system usually has the same # natural freqs as degrees of
freedom
Vibration modes: special initial deflections that cause entire
system to vibrate harmonically
Natural Frequencies are the corresponding vibration frequencies
x1

x2

k
m

Calculating nat freqs for 1DOF systems the basics

m
y

k,L0

EOM for small vibration of any 1DOF

undamped system has form

d2 y
2

n y C
2
dt

n is the natural frequency

1. Get EOM (F=ma or energy)

2. Linearize (sometimes)
3. Arrange in standard form
4. Read off nat freq.

Useful shortcut for combining springs

k1
k1

k2

k2

Parallel: stiffness k k1 k2

Series: stiffness

k1
m

k1 +k2
m

k2
k1

Are these in series on parallel?

1 1
1

k k1 k2

A useful relation
Suppose that static deflection
(caused by earths gravity) of a
system can be measured.

k,L0

L0+

Then natural frequency is

m
Prove this!

Linearizing EOM
d2y
f ( y) C
2
dt

Sometimes EOM has form

We cant solve this in general
Instead, assume y is small

d2y
df
m 2 f (0)
dt
dy
d 2 y 1 df

2
dt
m dy

y 0

y ... C
y 0

C f (0)
y
m

There are short-cuts to doing the Taylor expansion

Writing down EOM for spring-mass systems

Commit this to memory! (or be able to derive it)

s=L0+x
k, L0

F ma

m
c

d2x
dt 2

d2x
dt 2

2n

c dx k
x 0
m dt m

dx
n2 x 0
dt

k
m

c
2 km

x(t) is the dynamic variable (deflection from static equilibrium )

k1
k1

k2

Parallel: stiffness k k1 k2
c1
c2

Parallel: coefficient c c1 c2

k2

1 1
1

Series: stiffness k k
k2
1
c1

c2

1 1
1

Parallel: coefficient c c c
1
2

Examples write down EOM for

k1

k1
m

m
c

k2
k
c1

c2

If in doubt do F=ma, and

arrange in standard form
F ma

d2 y
dt

d2x
dt 2

dy
dt

2n

By C
dx
n2 x 0
dt

n B

A
2n

k2

Solution to EOM for damped vibrations

s=L0+x
k, L0

d2x

dt 2

Underdamped:

Critically damped:

dx
n2 x 0
dt

dx
v0
dt

x x0

Initial conditions:

Overdamped:

2n

k
m

c
2 km

t 0

v0 n x0
x(t ) exp(n t ) x0 cos d t
sin d t

x(t ) x0 v0 n x0 t exp( nt )
v0 (n d ) x0

v (n d ) x0
exp(d t ) 0
exp( d t )
2d
2d

x(t ) exp( nt )

Critically damped gives fastest return to equilibrium

Calculating natural frequency and damping

factor from a measured vibration response
Displacement
x(t0)

x(t1)

t0

t1

x(t2)
t2

x(t3)
t3

time

t4

Measure log decrement:

Measure period:
Then

x(t0 )
1
log

n
x
(
t
)
n

4 2 2

4 2 2
n
T