MEC 521: Vibration

Free Vibration

A mass of 5 kg is dropped onto the end of a cantilever beam with

a velocity of 0.5 m/s, as shown in Figure 1, the impact of the mass,
which then sticks to the beam. The beam is made of steel ( E =
210 x 109 N/m2), is 2.1 m long, and has a moment of inertia I = 3 x
10

-6

m4. Neglect inertia of the beam and determine the response

of the mass.

If a viscous damper is attached at the end of the beam, what is

the value of this damping coefficient of the mass response to
exhibit a critical damping.

Solution
Let x(t) represent the displacement of the mass, which is measured
positive downward from the equilibruim position of the mass after it
is attached to the beam.

The stiffness of the spring

=

3 3(210x109 )(3 x106 )

=
= 2.04 x 105 N/m
(2.1)3
3

Natural frequency of free vibration is

2.04 x 105
=
= 202 rad/s

The beam is in equilibrium at t = 0 when the particle hits. However, x

is measured from the equilibrium position of the system with the
particle attached. Thus,
(0) = =

(5)(9.81)

=
= 2.40104 m

2.04x105

= 0.5m/s. The time history of motion is

The initial velocity is (0)
calculated using equation as
() = (202 + )
Where the amplitude A and phase angle are determined using

0.5 2
= (2.04104 )2 + (
) = 2.48 mm
202

= 1 [

(202)(2.4104 )
] = 0.0968 rad = 5.59
0.5