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UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA

DECLARATION OF THESIS / UNDERGRADUATE PROJECT PAPER AND

COPYRIGHT

Authors full name :

AZIZUL AFANDI BIN AZIZUL AKMAL

Date of birth

17 JULY 1987

Title

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMPLITUDE OF DISPLACEMENT

AND DAMPING OF PINNED-END PORTAL FRAME

Academic Session :

2009/2010

I declare that this thesis is classified as :

CONFIDENTIAL

(Contains confidential information under the Official

Secret Act 1972)*

RESTRICTED

(Contains restricted information as specified by the

organization where research was done)*

OPEN ACCESS

I agree that my thesis to be published as online open

access (full text)

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1. The thesis is the property of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
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purpose of research only.
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870717-02-5707
(NEW IC NO. /PASSPORT NO.)
Date :
NOTES :

SIGNATURE OF SUPERVISOR
DR. ROSLIDA ABD SAMAT
NAME OF SUPERVISOR
Date :

If the thesis is CONFIDENTAL or RESTRICTED, please attach with the letter

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I hereby declare that I have read this thesis and in

my opinion this thesis is sufficient in terms of scope and
quality for the award of degree of Bachelor of Civil Engineering

Signature

: .

Name

: DR. ROSLIDA ABD SAMAT

Date

: APRIL 2010

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMPLITUDE OF DISPLACEMENT AND

DAMPING OF PINNED-END PORTAL FRAME

AZIZUL AFANDI BIN AZIZUL AKMAL

A report submitted in partial fulfilment of the

requirements for the award of degree of
Bachelor of Civil Engineering

Faculty of Civil Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

APRIL 2010

ii

I declare that this report entitled The Relationship between Amplitude of

Displacement and Damping of Pinned-End Portal Frame is the result of my own
research except as cited in the references. The thesis has not been accepted for any
degree and is not concurrently submitted in candidature of any other degree.

Signature

: ....................................................

Name

: AZIZUL AFANDI BINAZIZUL AKMAL

Date

: APRIL 2010

iii

To my dearest momthis is for you

To my late fatherI will make you proud
Al-fatihah

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, I am very grateful to ALLAH Almighty for giving me an

opportunity to gain knowledge and experiences in the course of this project and the
strength to finished this report within the period successfully. Secondly, I would like
to acknowledge my gratitude to Dr. Roslida Abd Samat who had taken a lot of effort
and patient to guide and answering all my doubtful while supervise me in completing
this report. At the same time, I would like to take this chance to express my thanks to
all FKA Structure and materials laboratory staffs that provide assistance at various
occasions to me. Finally, I want to take this opportunity to express my thanks from

the bottom of my heart to my beloved family, friends and colleagues who always
right by my side to provide support and motivation throughout the study.

Azizul Afandi

ABSTRACT

In order to understand the relationship between dynamic characteristic which

is damping, and the amplitude, free vibration tests with different initial amplitudes of
displacement were carried out. The vibration of pinned-end portal frames with
varying beam and column thicknesses are taken as a case study. The dynamic
properties such as damping ratios and damped periods are evaluated using several
identified methods based on observation records. The experimental natural frequency
was compared with the natural frequency calculated based on lumped mass system
and distributed mass system. All the data were interpreted graphically and the results
were discussed. It is observed from this study that the damping ratio decreases as the
initial amplitude is increased. Although larger amplitudes reduce the damping, the
amount of reduction depends on the thickness of beam and column. The reduction of
damping ratio due to the increase of the initial amplitude is larger for thinner beam
and column, compared to the thicker one. On the other hand, it can also be concluded
that the column thickness affects significantly on the value of the damping. The
natural frequency depends on the whole mass of portal frame structure, which are
both of its beam and columns masses. All the data obtained are only for pinned-end
support portal frame, it is expected the value of the damping ratios will be smaller for
fixed-end support portal frame.

vi

ABSTRAK

Bagi memahami hubungan antara ciri dinamik iaitu redaman, dengan

amplitud, ujian getaran bebas dengan sesaran awal yang berbeza telah dijalankan.
Getaran kerangka portal berpenghujung pin dengan ketebalan rasuk dan tiang yang
berbeza-beza diambil sebagai kes kajian. Ciri-ciri dinamik seperti nisbah redaman
dan tempoh teredam diperoleh melalui beberapa kaedah yang diketahui berdasarkan
rekod

pemerhatian.

Frekuensi

tabii

yang

diperoleh

daripada

eksperimen

dibandingkan dengan frekuensi tabii yang dikira berdasarkan teori sistem jisim
tergumpal dan teori sistem jisim teragih. Kesemua data telah diterjemahkan secara
grafik dan keputusan-keputusannya telah dibincangkan. Daripada kajian ini, didapati
bahawa nisbah redaman akan berkurang apabila amplitud awal meningkat. Walaupun
amplitud yang lebih besar akan mengurangkan redaman, jumlah pengurangan itu
bergantung kepada ketebalan rasuk dan tiang. Pengurangan nisbah redaman yang
disebabkan oleh peningkatan amplitud awal adalah lebih besar untuk rasuk dan tiang
yang nipis, berbanding yang lebih tebal. Boleh juga disimpulkan bahawa ketebalan
tiang memberi kesan yang lebih jelas kepada nilai redaman. Frekuensi tabii pula
bergantung kepada jisim keseluruhan struktur kerangka rasuk, iaitu kedua-dua jisim
rasuk dan tiangnya. Semua data yang diperoleh adalah untuk kerangka portal
disokong pin sahaja, dan dijangkakan nilai nisbah redaman adalah lebih rendah untuk
kerangka portal berpenghujung tegar.

vii

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER

TITLE

PAGE

DECLARATION

ii

DEDICATION

iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

iv

ABSTRACT

ABSTRAK

vi

TABLE OF CONTENT

vii

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

xi

LIST OF SYMBOLS

xiii

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Background of Study

1.2

Problem Statement

1.3

Research Objectives

1.4

Significant of Study

1.5

Scope of Study

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1

Introduction

2.2

The Importance of Dynamic Effect

2.3

Single Degree of Freedom

2.3.1

The Equation of Motion

2.3.2

Theory of Free Vibration

10

viii
2.4

The Natural Frequency

13

2.4.1

Determination of Natural Frequency

13

2.4.2

Natural Frequency of Various Structure

14

2.4.2.1 Natural Frequency of Beam

15

2.4.2.2 Natural Frequency of Beam-Column 16

2.4.2.3 Natural Frequency of Frame
2.5

Damped Free Vibration

18

2.5.1

Viscously Damped Free Vibration

19

2.5.2

The Damping Ratio

20

2.5.3

Oscillation Modes

20

2.5.4

Logarithmic Decrement

24

METHODOLOGY

27

3.1

Introduction

27

3.2

The Portal Frame

29

3.3

Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)

30

3.4

Preparation Stage

31

3.5

Testing Stage

34

3.5.1

Calibration

34

3.5.2

Free Vibration Test

34

3.5.3

Stiffness Determination Test

36

3.6

17

Data Analysis Stage

37

3.6.1

Determination of Damping Ratio

37

3.6.2

Stiffness

39

3.6.3

Damped Frequency

39

3.6.4

Natural Frequency

40

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

42

4.1

Introduction

42

4.2

Result of Tests and Calculations

43

4.2.1

Free Vibration Test Results

43

4.2.2

Stiffness Determination Test Results

47

4.2.3

Calculation of Natural Frequency

48

4.3

The Analysis and Discussions

49

ix
4.3.1

The Relationship of Damping Ratio with

50

Initial Amplitude
4.3.2

Behaviour of Natural Frequency

53

4.3.3

Comparison between Damped Frequency

56

and Natural Frequency

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

58

5.1

Conclusions

58

5.1.1

58

The Relationship of Damping with

Amplitude of Displacement

5.2

5.1.2

The Natural Frequency

59

5.1.3

Damped Frequency

59

Recommendations

60

REFERENCES

61

APPENDIX A

63

APPENDIX B

78

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NO.

TITLE

PAGE

3.2.1

Cross-sectional properties of the portal frame

29

4.2.1

Data from free vibration test

46

4.2.2

The stiffness each of portal frame

47

4.2.3

The natural frequencies of portal frames

49

4.3.1

Average slope of graph based on beam thickness

52

4.3.2

Average slope of graph based on column thickness

52

4.3.3

Percentage difference between damped frequency and

natural frequency

57

xi

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO.

TITLE

PAGE

2.3.1

Linear system relationship

2.3.2

Linear viscous damper relationship

2.3.3

Newtons second law of motion for frame

2.3.4

The free vibration without damping

11

2.4.1

Frequency-response curve

14

2.5.1

Free vibration of undamped, critically damped, and

overdamped systems

23

2.5.2

Example of underdamped oscillating graph

25

2.5.3

Exact and approximate relations between logarithmic

decrement and damping ratio

26

3.1.1

Workflow diagram

28

3.2.1

The dimension of portal frame

30

3.4.1

Steel were marked before being cut

31

3.4.2(a)

Steel were cut using machine

32

3.4.2(b)

Steel were cut using steel cutter

32

3.4.3

Steels that have been cut

33

3.4.4

Installation of portal frame to the pinned-end support

33

3.5.1

Complete setup of portal frame

35

3.5.2

The needle position was at the middle

36

3.6.1

An example of displacement versus time soscillating graph

38

4.2.1

Oscillating graph of sample A5c

43

4.3.1

Graph of damping ratio versus initial amplitude for 3 mm

Thickness of beam

50

xii
4.3.2

Graph of damping ratio versus initial amplitude for 4 mm

Thickness of beam

4.3.3

Graph of damping ratio versus initial amplitude for 9 mm

Thickness of beam

4.3.4

53

Graph of natural frequency versus column thickness for

4 mm thickness of beam

4.3.6

51

Graph of natural frequency versus column thickness for

3 mm thickness of beam

4.3.5

51

54

Graph of natural frequency versus column thickness for

9 mm thickness of beam

55

4.3.7

Graph of damped frequency versus column thickness

56

4.3.8

Graph of natural frequency versus column thickness

56

xiii

LIST OF SYMBOLS

angle

damping coefficient

critical damping coefficient

logarithmic decrement

Lateral forces

damping force

stiffness

mass

mass of beam

mass of column

external force

time

natural period

damped period

deflection/deformation

velocity

acceleration

damping ratio

natural frequency

damped frequency

weight

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Background of Study

Natural phenomena and human activities such as earthquake, winds, waves,

piling works and machineries can produce dynamic disturbance to the structures. The
dynamic force that is transmitted to the structure must be considered during the
analysis and design of the structure, in general, will vibrate when being disturbed
from its static condition. Vibrations are time-dependent displacement of particles
with respect to an equilibrium position. The wave motion of the disturbance will
vibrate a structure at the frequency of the oscillating force since the central
phenomenon of vibration theory is cyclic oscillation. A major feature of oscillation
dynamics is the cyclic transformation of potential energy into kinematic energy and
back again. This feature is clearly displayed by idealized models involving only
elastic and inertial elements. For example, the natural frequencies and natural modes
of vibrating system and group and phase velocities of wave propagating systems are
obtained from such idealized models.

Secondary aspects of oscillation dynamics can be explained by accounting for

a damping mechanism. Damping is responsible for the eventual decay of free
vibrations and provides an explanation for the fact that the response of vibratory

2
system excited at resonance does not grow without limit. Estimation of damping in
structural systems poses a most difficult problem in structural dynamics. Unlike the
mass and stiffness characteristics of a structural system, damping does not relate to a
unique physical phenomenon. Damping is often required and it is difficult to
engineer it unless external damping systems are introduced in the structural system.

1.2

Problem Statement

Damping is the removal of energy from a vibratory system. The energy lost is
either transmitted away from the system by some mechanism of radiation or
dissipated within the system. Damping also plays a crucial role in fixing the
borderline between stability and instability in many dynamical systems. The damping
capacity is defined as the ratio of the energy dissipated in one cycle of oscillation to
the maximum amount of energy accumulated in the structure in that cycle. When a
system is starting to vibrate in a cyclic motion, it will tend to displace at certain
amplitude in either sides before being damped due to dissipation of energy as
mentioned before.

It most of code of practise, the value of damping ratio always assumed to be

constant. Actually, it is not accurate as the damping ratio is nonlinear parameter with
amplitude dependent property. Therefore, the behaviour of damping ratio to several
of amplitudes of displacement and how the thickness of structure influences the
damping are subjects of interest in this study. The vibration of pin-ended portal
frame is taken as a case study and an experiment was conducted in a laboratory. This
is because the damping ratio is not possible to determine analytically for practical
structures, so it should be determined experimentally.

3
1.3

Research Objectives

The objectives of this study are as follows:

(i) To determine the relationship between damping and amplitude of

displacement by manipulating the initial displacement of the pin-ended portal
frame.

(ii) To investigate how the beam and column thicknesses of portal frame
affecting the damping ratio.

(iii)To observe the behavior of natural frequency with different beam and column
thicknesses and compare the experimental natural frequency with calculated
natural frequency using lumped mass system and distributed mass system
theory.

(iv) To compare the damped frequency with the natural frequency of portal frame.

1.4

Significance of study

This research will study on the relationship between damping and amplitude
of displacement of pinned portal frame. The results from this research should verify
all the previous study of dynamic behavior of structures. It may lead to new findings
regarding the damping of portal frames. Any data or results from this study may be
useful for engineers in solving problems regarding dynamic responses of portal
frame or other structures.

4
1.5

Scope of study

In general, this study focuses on the behavior of damping with the

manipulated stiffness of pinned-end portal frame. The displacement of the portal
frame is measured by Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) equipment
and recorded by data logger. Material that had been used to construct the portal
frames are steel bars. The test that has been conducted in this study was free
vibration test and the calculation that was performed based on a single degree of
freedom (SDOF) concept.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1

Introduction

A lot of researches and findings regarding the dynamic behaviour of

structures had been performed. This is because the dynamic parameters, such as
natural frequency and damping are very important in determining the behaviour of
structures. In this chapter, there are literatures and theories that been review in order
to give more clear to carry out this study.

2.2

The Importance of Dynamic Effect

Dynamic effect on structures may not so critical on the ordinary structures

such as single or double storey houses, schools, mosque, and etc. But, when we deal
with high rise buildings, complex design of structures, offshore structures, or
buildings in an earthquake region, the dynamic effect is very important and must be
put a close attention while designing such structures. As mentioned by Brebria et al.

6
(1976), The increasing size and complexity of new structural forces in engineering
have made it necessary for designers to be aware of their dynamic behavior.

Furthermore, the importance of dynamic analysis is emphasized by

Warburton (1976) as We cannot afford to neglect this dynamic effect on a structure
because of such a high risk. In addition to the possibility of elastic failure of a
structure if dynamic effects are neglected, long-time repetition of dynamic stresses,
whose magnitudes would be considered to be safe from static considerations, may
lead to cumulative fatigue failures. Obviously, if there is any possibility of dynamic
magnification factor, a dynamic analysis of structure is necessary.

2.3

Single Degree of Freedom

In structural dynamics the number of independent coordinates necessary to

specify the configuration or position of a system at any time is referred to as the
number of degrees of freedom. In general, a continuous structure has an infinite
number of degrees of freedom. Nevertheless, the process of idealization or selection
of an appropriate mathematical model permits the reduction in the number of degrees
of freedom to a discrete number and in some cases to just a single degree of freedom.
Therefore, this research only scope on single degree of freedom theories and
calculations.

2.3.1

The Equation of Motion

For a linear system the relationship between the lateral force fS and resulting
deformation u is linear as in Figure 2.3.1, the equation is given by

7
=

(2.3.1)

Where k is the lateral stiffness of the system and the unit is (kN/m)

(a)

(b)

Figure 2.3.1

Consider a linear viscous damper subjected to a force fD along the single degree of
freedom u as in Figure 2.3.2a. The internal force in the damper is equal and opposite
to the external force fD (Figure 2.3.2b). As shown in Figure 2.3.2c, the damping force
fD is related to the velocity across the linear viscous damper by
=
where the constant c is the viscous damping coefficient.

(2.3.2)

(a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 2.3.2

According to the Newtons Second Law of Motion, the force acting on the
mass at some instant of time is shown in Figure 2.3.3b. These include the external
force p(t), the elastic (or inelastic) resisting force fS (Figure 2.3.1), and the damping

9
resisting force fD (Figure 2.3.2). The external force is taken to be positive in the
direction of the x-axis, and the displacement u(t), velocity (t), and acceleration (t)
are also positive in the direction of the x-axis.

(a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 2.3.3

The elastic and damping forces are shown acting in the opposite direction
because they are internal forces that resist the deformation and velocity, respectively.

10
The resultant force along the x-axis is p fS fD and Newtons second law of
motion gives
= or + + = ()

(2.3.3)

This equation after substituting equation 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 becomes

+ + = ()

(2.3.4)

Equation 2.3.4 is the equation of motion that will be used in free vibration system
theory.

2.3.2

Theory of Free Vibration

The motion of single degree of freedom systems, visualized as an idealized

one-storey frame or a mass-spring-damper system, subjected to external force p(t) is
govern by equation 2.3.4 in the previous section. To gives the differential governing
free vibration of the system, p(t) is set to be 0, which for systems without damping (c
= 0) becomes
+ = 0

(2.3.5)

Free vibration is initiated by disturbing the system from its static equilibrium
position by imparting the mass some displacement u(0) and velocity 0 at time
zero, defined as the instant the motion is initiated:

u = u(0)

= (0)

(2.3.6)