ENG432 – Dynamics of Engineering Systems

Practicum 2: Multi Degree of Freedom Experiment

1. Equipment

The following equipment will be used for experimentation: air track, air track sliders,
springs, retort stand, stop watch, ruler.

2. Group work

Part A: Procedure

• Take measurements to determine the spring rate of springs A, B, C and D by two

different methods.

• Level the air track.

• Demonstrate two different modes of vibration using sliders A and B and three
springs of your choice.

Part B: Procedure

• Using your calculations set up one selected mode of vibration on the air track
and time the natural frequency. Compare experimental and theoretical results.

3. Report (individual)

Address the following items in your report (results of your calculation should be
ready for Part B of the practical) :

• In MATLAB or MS EXCEL, calculate the spring rates (stiffness) for each spring
using data obtained by both methods (submit m-file or MS excel file).

• If the spring rates vary between methods, discuss possible reasons.

• Discuss what conditions may exist such that the springs will not behave in a linear
manner.

• Create a MATLAB file (based on the m-file provided in WS6_c, see the Learnline
site).

• For your setup (Table 1), using eigenvalue/vector calculations, determine the
initial displacements of sliders A, B and C (xOA, xOB and xOC) to induce one mode
of vibration.

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• Determine the natural frequency of selected mode (Note that the magnitude of
the initial displacements is arbitrary. You will need to decide how large you
want to make your oscillations).

• For each mode, plot xA(t), xB(t) and xC(t) for 10 seconds.

• Submit your m-file with your report (copy & paste)

• If you determined different spring rates from the two methods, consider how this
variation may affect your results (you may need to have two sets results).

• Discuss the difference between experimental results (from the air track) and
theoretical results for one natural frequency.

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