School

of Engineering
MENG 321: Mechanical Vibrations

Fall

Project: Stabilizing a Four-Cylinder

Engine on a Chassis

Basil Qadoor

ID: 2013001077

Mohammed Al Shamsi
ID: 2013000980

Instructor: Dr. Mohd Sami Ashhab

15

Abstract:

As part of our mechanical vibrations course, we are trying to investigate how to stabilize a
four-cylinder engine supported on a car chassis by three shock absorbers, as shown in the
figure below.

Problem:

A four-cylinder engine block has a weight of 2225 Newtons. The engine generates an
unbalanced force of 890 sin 100 Newtons. We are to design the three shock mounts,
each of stiffness k and viscous-damping c, such that the amplitude of the vibration does not
exceed 0.25 centimeters.

Solution:
F = ma

2225
=
= 226.81

9.81

We know that:

1
=
!" ! .
!" !"# 2 1 !

!!"
!"# =
= 0.0025
(1)
!
!! !!!

We assume = 0.01 (under-damped) because we want to control the vibration in the
system and not prevent it, therefore:

!
!"#
!" = ! ! = !
(2)
!"

!"

By substituting equation (2) into equation (1) we get:

890
!"# =

!" 2 1 !

890
!" =
= 17,800,890.07 N/m = 178 /
(0.0025)(2)(0.01) 1 (0.01)!

The shock mounts should have equal k since they are in parallel, hence

!"
=
= 5,933,630.023 / = 59.3 /
3

To find the required damping coefficient for the springs:

!"
!"
=
=
= 0.01
!
2 !"

!" = 2 !" = 2 0.01

=

17,800,890.07 226.81 = 1,270.8 /

!"
= 423.6 /
3

Conclusion:

We managed to solve the problem using the principles of harmonically excited vibrations.
Since we need to allow for some vibrations to occur, we chose a value for the damping ratio
() equal to 0.01, to ensure the system is under-damped. We have selected a practical
problem to better understand the theoretical concepts we learned in the mechanical
vibrations course. To ensure that the amplitude of the vibration does not exceed 0.25
centimeters, we should use three identical shock mounts, each of stiffness k = 59.3 /
and damping coefficient c = 423.6 /.