Free Vibration Response of SDOF

Systems

Response: Free or forced

In this chapter: Free response, i.e. no

external forces are applied.

c k
m

mx cx kx 0
x 2 n x n 2 x 0
k
n natural frequency
m
c
damping ratio
2 km

We know from theory of DE that x ( t ) Ce st

Characteristic equation: s 2 2 n s n2 0

1
3 cases:
1. >1 (overdamped) two real solutions
2. =1 (critically damped) double real
solution
3. <1 (underdamped) two complex
solutions (most practical systems)

2
Case 1: Overdamped (1)
2 2
x(t ) c1e ( 1) nt c2 e ( 1) nt

Slope = x (0) here

x(0)
x(t)
5

1 .1
t
x (0) ( 2 1 ) n x (0)
c1
2 n 2 1

x (0) ( 2 1 ) n x (0)
c2
2 n 2 1

Observations: Free vibration response is an

exponentially decaying function. The
higher the damping factor the slower the
decay is.

Case 2: Critically damped (=1)

x (t ) c1e nt c2 te nt

3
 c1 x(0), c 2 n x (0) x (0)

Slope = x (0) here

x(0)
x(t)

t
Observations: Free vibration response is an
exponentially decaying function, like the
response of overdamped systems. The
decay is the smaller than that of overdamped
systems.

4
Case 3: Underdamped systems (<1)

Consider special case where there is no

damping (i.e. system is undamped) first (i.e.
=0):

k
m
mx kx 0
x n2 x 0

x (0)
x ( t ) x (0) cos( n t ) sin( n t ) A cos( n t )
n

k x (0) x (0)
where: n m , A [ x(0)2 { n }2 ]1/ 2 , tan -1( n x(0) )
Example of response of undamped system

5
 .
1

0.75

0.5

0.25

x ( t) 0

0.25

0.5

0.75

1
0 3.14 6.28 9.42 12.56
t

2
T
n

.
4

x ( t) 1

xd ( t) 0
xdd ( t) 1

Displacement,
2 velocity and acceleration
3

4
0 3.14 6.28 9.42 12.56 6
t
 acceleration
n2 A velocity
n A

displacement
A

Observations:

Response is a harmonic wave.

The angular frequency is n m rad/sec.

k

This frequency depends only on the

system- not on the initial conditions.
The higher the spring rate, the higher
the frequency of oscillation is. The
lower the mass, the higher the frequency
of oscillation is.

Number of cycles per second: f n
2
(Hz).

7
 Velocity is also a harmonic wave.
Leads the displacement by a quarter
period or 90 degrees.

Acceleration is also a harmonic wave.

Leads the displacement by a half period
or 180 degrees.

Harmonic motion: three representations

1. x (t ) c1e j n t c2 e j n t

8
2. x (t ) A1 cos( n t ) A2 sin( n t )

x ( t ) A cos( n t )
1
2 2 2
3. where A ( A A2 )
1
A
and tan -1 ( 2 )
A1

Underdamped system (<1):

x ( t ) e nt A1 cos( d t ) A2 sin( d t )
where
A1 x (0)
x (0) x (0)
A2
1 2 d

9
Therefore:

x ( t ) e n t A cos( d t )

1
A ( A12 A22 ) 2

d damped natural frequency n 1 2

Example of underdamped system response

1
1
Ae n t
d = 6.25
= 0.1
n= 6.28
x( t ) 0

2
Td
d

0.731 1
0 1 2 3
0 t 3

Observations:

10
Underdamped system:

Free vibration response is an oscillating

function. The amplitude decays with
time.

The higher the damping ratio, the faster

the decay is.

The frequency of oscillation is d n 1 2

rad/sec, which is smaller than the
undamped natural frequency n . But for
small values of the damping ratio (say
0.1) the two frequencies are practically

equal.

Estimating damping from records of free

vibration response


4 2 2

where
x (t )
= logarithmic decrement= ln[ x(t Td ) ]

11
If measurements are separated by n periods:

1 x (t )
= n ln[ x(t nTd ) ]

12