EXAMPLE

4.5

For the mass-spring-damper system shown, determine the expression for the
motion, x(t) and plot it. K= 12 N/m, m=4kg, F = 36N and the damping constant
has the following three possibilities:
24.33

B 8 N .s / m . Assume zero initial conditions x (0) 0, x (0) 0

13.8565

F
x(t)

36 N
K

0
F

Frictionless surface

Fig. 4-9. Mechanical system of example 4.5.

Solution:

The equilibrium equations:

F mx Kx Bx

B
K
x x F
m
m
m

The homogenous (natural) solution:

B
K
xn x 0
m
m
The characteristic polynomial:
xn

(5)

p2

B
K
p 0 and the roots are:
m
m

B 1 B 2 4K
p1,2

2m 2 m2
m
As with the previous example, the roots can be any of the three possibilities
mentioned.

Since the forcing function is a constant for t0, the forcing solution is a constant.

Case -i B=24.33 N.s/m

p1 554
. , p2 054
.

xp (t ) C , substituting in (5)
C= 3 m.
From procedures of section 4.6,

x(t ) A1e5.54t A2e0.54t 3 u(t) meters

With

x(0) 0, x (0) 0

The two simultaneous equations are:

A1 + A2 = -3
-5.54A1 0.54A2 = 0;
Solving for A1 and A2 yields:
A1=0.3240, A2= -3.3240
Therefore,

x(t ) 0.3240e5.54t 3.32405e0.54t 3 meters.

Plot of x(t) is shown below.

for t 0.

Mass-Spring-Damper System : Case -i

3

2.5

Overdamped Case

Displacement (meters)

1.5

0.5

5
Time (sec.)

Fig. 4-10. Plot of x(t) for example 4.5 (case i)

And, the Matlab code is:

% Mechanical Systems Example
F = 36;
K = 12;
m = 4;

% Newtons (Applied force)

% N/m
(Spring Constant)
% Kg (mass)4

% Case -1
B = 24.33

% N.s/m (Damping coefficient)

% To plot the responses:

% Define time vector
t = 0:0.01:10;
x = 0.3240*exp(-5.54*t) -3.3240*exp(-0.54*t)+3;

plot(t,x)
xlabel('Time (sec.)')
ylabel('Displacement (meters)')
Title(' Mass-Spring-Damper System : Case -i')
grid

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Case -ii B= 13.8565 N.s/m

p1 p2 p 1.7321
Students will show that: (note, the same initial conditions as above still apply.)
Xp = 3 meters, and that the total solution is:

x(t ) e1.732t 3 5.1963t 3 m for t 0.

Mass-Spring-Damper System : Case -ii
3

2.5

Critically damped Case

Displacement (meters)

1.5

0.5

5
Time (sec.)

Fig. 4-11. Plot of x(t) for example 4.5 (case-i i)

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And the Matlab code is:

% Mechanical Systems Example
F = 36;
K = 12;
m = 4;
% Case -2
B = 13.8565

% Newtons (Applied force)

% N/m
(Spring Constant)
% Kg (mass)4

% N.s/m (Damping coefficient)

% To plot the responses:

% Define empty vectors:
T=[];
X=[];
% Define time vector
for t = 0:0.01:10;
x=-(3+5.1963*t)*exp(-1.7321*t)+3;
X=[X x];
T=[T t];
end
plot(T,X)
xlabel('Time (sec.)')
ylabel('Displacement (meters)')
Title(' Mass-Spring-Damper System : Case -i')
grid

Case - iii B=8N.s/m

p1,2 1 j 2
And the particular solution is:
Xp(t) =3;

( )

))

It is left to the student to show that:

x(t ) 3e t (cos 2t

1
sin 2t ) 3 m. for t 0
2

Plot of x(t) is shown below.

u(t) meters.

Mass-Spring-Damper System : Case -iii

3.5

Displacement (meters)

2.5

underdamped case

1.5

0.5

Time (sec.)

Fig. 4-12. Plot of x(t) of example 4.5 (case iii).

And, the Matlab code is:

%
F
K
m

Mechanical Systems Example

= 36;
% Newtons (Applied force)
= 12;
% N/m
(Spring Constant)
= 4;
% Kg (mass)4

% Case - 3
B = 8
% N.s/m (Damping coefficient)

% To plot the responses:

% Define empty vectors:
T=[];
X=[];
% Define time vector
for t = 0:0.01:10;
x=-3*exp(-t)*(cos(sqrt(2)*t)+1/sqrt(2)*sin(sqrt(2)*t))+3;
X=[X x];
T=[T t];
end
plot(T,X)
xlabel('Time (sec.)')
ylabel('Displacement (meters)')
Title(' Mass-Spring-Damper System : Case -i')
grid

Putting the three responses together is shown below along with the code.

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Mass-Spring-Damper System :All cases

3.5

Displacement (meters)

2.5

Over Damped

Critically Dampoed

1.5

Underdamped

0.5

5
Time (sec.)

And, the Matlab code is:

clear all
F = 36;
K = 12;
m = 4;
% All cases,

% Newtons (Applied force)

% N/m
(Spring Constant)
% Kg (mass)4
B is a vector:

% emty vectos for all cases of x(t)

% x1: case 1, X2: case -2, X3:case -3;
X1=[]; X2=[]; X3=[]; T=[];
for t = 0:0.01:10;
x1 = 0.3240*exp(-5.54*t) -3.3240*exp(-0.54*t)+3;
x2=-(3+5.1963*t)*exp(-1.7321*t)+3;
x3=-3*exp(-t)*(cos(sqrt(2)*t)+1/sqrt(2)*sin(sqrt(2)*t))+3;
X1=[X1 x1];
X2=[X2 x2];
X3=[X3 x3];
T=[T t];
end
plot(T,X1,'r',T,X2,'g',T,X3,'b')
xlabel('Time (sec.)')
ylabel('Displacement (meters)')
Title(' Mass-Spring-Damper System :All cases')
grid

10