Continuous Systems

Continuous systems are those which have

continuously distributed mass and Elasticity.
These continuous systems are assumed to be
homogeneous and isotropic obeying hook law
within the elastic limit.
1. Lateral vibrations of a string.
2. Longitudinal vibration of rod/bar.
3. Torsional vibration of a circular shaft.
4. Lateral vibration of beams.
 1. Lateral vibrations of a string
 Consider a vibrating string of mass ‘ρ’ per unit
length having transverse vibrations under
tension ‘T’ as shown in fig.
For very small displacements, tanθ = θ
 y
tan  
x
y
or ,   ( For left end of the element )
x

and     dx
x
y   y 
so,     dx ( For right end of the element )
x x  x 
Resolving the tension along y – axis,

  
T sin   dx   T sin   mass  acceleration
 x 

Or,
    y
2
T sin   dx   T sin   dx 2
 x  t
Since θ is small,
     y
2
T   dx   T  dx 2
 x  t
Or,
    y 2
T    2
 x  t
1-Dimensional wave equation for lateral
vibrations of string.
‘C’ is the velocity of wave propagation along
the string.

Solution of Wave equation :

 The lateral deflection ‘y’ along the string is a
function of the variables ‘x’ and ‘t’.
 so, solution of the equation can be written
as,(separation of variables method)
 y
2
Y 2
 y 2
G 2
 G 2 and  Y 2      (5)
x 2
x t 2
t
Substituting equation (5) in to equation (2) we
have,
LHS is a function of ‘x’ alone and RHS is a
function of ‘t’ alone.
So we put it equal to some constant equal –ω2

 2
    
Y ( x)  A sin   x  B cos  x      (9)
c c
G (t )  D sin t  E cos t        (10)
    
y ( x, t )   A sin x  B cos x D sin t  E cos t 
 c c 

Since ω can have infinite values, being an

infinite degree of freedom system the general
solution can be written as,


 i i 
y ( x, t )    Ai sin x  Bi cos x Di sin it  Ei cos it   (11)
i 1  c c 
The arbitrary constant A, B, D and E have to
be determined from the boundary condition
and the initial conditions.
For the string of length ‘L’ stretched between
two fixed points. The boundary conditions are
y(0,t) = y(L, t) = 0
The condition y (0, t) = 0 will require B = 0 so
the solution will be

  
y ( x, t )   A sin x D sin t  E cos t     (12)
 c 
 The condition y (L, t) = 0 them fields the
equation
  
0   A sin x D sin t  E cos t 
 c 


Each ‘n’ represents normal mode vibration with
natural frequency determined from the equation

with the distribution

Thus the general solution is given by,

 

With the initial condition of Y(x,0) and Y (x, 0)

the constants Dn and En can be evaluated.
2. Longitudinal Vibration of Rod/Bar
Longitudinal Vibration of Rod/Bar
Consider an element of length ‘dx’ at a
distance ‘x’ from the left end of the bar as
shown in the Figure.

 If ‘u’ is the displacement at ‘x’ from left, then

the displacement at (x + dx) will be  u 
u  dx 
 x 

Then the element ‘dx’ in the new position has

changed in length by an amount of ‘ u dx ’
x
So strain of the element is given by,
u
dx
x u
       (1)
dx x

Let,
A= cross sectional area of the bar
E= modulus of elasticity
ρ = Density of the material
F= Force acting axially on the bar
Net force acting on the element,

 F 
F  dx   F  (mass )  (acceleration)
 x 

 F  u 2
F  dx   F  dm  2
 x  t

 F   2u
 dx    dx A 2      (2)
 x  t
We know that,
σ =F/A where σ is the stress
So,
F = σA

 F    
 dx     dx A    (3)
 x   x 

Eqn (2) can be written with the help of eqn (3)

as,
      2u 
 dx A   dx A 2       (4)
 x   t 

According to hooke’s law,

stress ( )
E
strain ( )
or ,   E
      
 dx A   dx AE    (5)
 x   x 
With the help of eqns (4) and (5)
We have,
     2u 
 dx AE   dx A 2 
 x   t 
E   2u

 x t 2
 E    u   2u
   

  x  x  t 2

E   2u   2u
 
2 
  x  t 2
   2u  1  2u
 2   2 2    (6)
 x  c t

Where, c = √E/ρ
This is the 1-D wave equation.

Solution of Wave equation :

The solution is of the form,
u ( x, t )  U ( x) G (t )      (7)
 Substituting in equation (7), we get

Since w can have infinite values, as the system

being an infinite degree of freedom general
solution can be written as,