CEE490b

Chapter 1 - Free Vibration of Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Systems - I

1.1 Free Undamped Vibration

The basic type of response of multi-degree-of-freedom systems is free undamped

vibration. Analogous to single degree of freedom systems the analysis of free
vibration yields the natural frequencies of the system. For the analysis, the elastic
(restoring) properties of the system must be described first. This can either be done
in terms of stiffness or flexibility

Structural Stiffness

Stiffness of a structure is described by the stiffness matrix, whose elements k ij are

defined as the force acting at node i, in order to produce a sole unit displacement at
node j. In “lumped mass” models, the stiffness constants defined above are identical
to the stiffness used in static models

Example - Multi-storey “shear” building

A shear building is one where the resistance to lateral loads is from the bending of
the columns – the floors are infinitely rigid – and the columns are fixed-ended where
connected to the floors.

k31=0 k32 k33

m3 1

l3 I3

k21 k22 k23

m2 1

l2 I2

k11 k12 k13=0

m1 1

l1 I1

Fig. 1.1 Multi Storey Shear Building

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EI
The basic stiffness constant for a column subjected to shear only is k = 12 ,
l3
where EI is the bending stiffness of the column and l is the column length. The
assembly of the stiffness matrix is performed one element at a time, with each floor
of the building sequentially subjected to a unit shear displacement and the
stiffnesses added as appropriate. e.g. the stiffness element for the first floor of the
shear building in Fig. 1.1, due to a unit displacement of the first floor is:

12EI1 12EI 2
k11 = 2 ∗ 3
+ 2∗ 3
l1 l2

(the ‘2’ multiplier is for 2 columns per storey)

The full stiffness matrix for the 3-storey shear building is:

12EI1 12EI 2 ⎛ 12EI 2 ⎞

k11 = 2 ∗ + 2∗ k12 = 2 ∗ ⎜ − ⎟ k13 = 0
l1
3
l2
3 ⎜ 3 ⎟
⎝ l2 ⎠
⎛ 12EI 2 ⎞ 12EI 2 12EI 3 ⎛ 12EI 3 ⎞
k 21 = 2∗⎜− ⎟ k 22 = 2∗ + 2∗ k 23 = 2 ∗ ⎜ − ⎟
⎜ l2 ⎟⎠
3 3 3 ⎜ 3 ⎟
⎝ l2 l3 ⎝ l3 ⎠
⎛ 12EI 3 ⎞ 12EI 3
k 31 = 0 k 32 = 2 ∗ ⎜ − ⎟ k 33 = 2 ∗
⎜ l
3 ⎟ l3
3
⎝ 3 ⎠

Note: - the matrix is diagonally symmetric ( k 12 = k 21 )

Static Condensation

This is the term given to the simplification of a stiffness matrix through the
elimination of degrees of freedom. For example, in most buildings and structures
exposed to lateral loads, there are no significant external moments or mass moment
of inertia acting in the joints. Therefore the joint rotations can be eliminated from the
governing equations, so the deformation of the structure can be expressed in terms
of lateral displacements only.

Considering the full 4x4 stiffness matrix for the column shown below, the elements
can be assembled one degree of freedom at a time. We shall see how this can be
simplified using Static Condensation.

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Recall the stiffness characteristics of a fixed ended beam:

P P
A l B A l B

MA MA
MB MB
P EI P EI

2EIθ
M A = 21 M B =
M A = M B = 6EI∆ / l 2 l
6EIθ
Pl = M A + M B = 2 ∗ 6EI∆ / l 2 Pl = M B + M A =
l
P = 12EI∆ / l 3 6EIθ
P= 2
l
P 6EI
= 2
P 12EI θ l
= 3
∆ l MB 4EI
=
M 6EI θ l
= 2
∆ l M A 2EI
=
θ l

P2 4 2 4
2

EI2 l2

3 3
P1 1 1

EI1 l1

a) b) a) b)
Fig. 5.2 a) Generation of full stiffness matrix (4x4) and b) Condensed (2x2)

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Assembling the elements of the complete stiffness matrix, we obtain:

12EI1 12EI 2
k11 = 3
+ 3
l1 l2
12EI 2
k12 = k 21 = − 3
l2
6EI 6EI
k 13 = k 31 = 2 1 − 2 2
l1 l2
6EI
k 14 = k 41 = − 2 2
l2
12EI 2
k 22 =
l 32
6EI
k 23 = k 32 = 2 2
l2
6EI
k 24 = k 42 = 2 2
l2
4EI1 4EI 2
k 33 = +
l1 l2
2EI 2
k 34 = k 43 =
l2
4EI 2
k 44 =
l2

Now, if only static horizontal forces P1,2 act, the matrix equation relating the input
forces to the output displacements and rotations is:
⎧ P1 ⎫ ⎡ k11 k12 k13 k14 ⎤ ⎧ u1 ⎫
⎪P ⎪ ⎢k ⎥⎪ ⎪
⎪ 2 ⎪ ⎢ 21 k 22 k 23 k 24 ⎥ ⎪u 2 ⎪
⎨ ⎬= ⎨ ⎬
⎪ 0 ⎪ ⎢k 31 k 32 k 33 k 34 ⎥ ⎪ψ 1 ⎪
⎪⎩ 0 ⎪⎭ ⎢⎣k 41 k 42 k 43 k 44 ⎥⎦ ⎪⎩ψ 2 ⎪⎭

or, generally:

⎧P ⎫ ⎡ A B ⎤ ⎧u ⎫
⎨ ⎬=⎢ T ⎨ ⎬
⎩ 0 ⎭ ⎣B C ⎥⎦ ⎩ψ ⎭

note that the lower part of the equation:

{0} = [B ]T {u} + [C ]{ψ }

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CEE490b

yields the rotations:

{ψ } = −[C ]−1 [B ]T {u}

then substituting this expression for the unknown rotations in terms of the
unknown displacements into the upper part of the equation:

{P } = [A]{u} − [B ][C ]−1[B ]T {u}

{P } = ([A] − [B ][C ]−1 [B ]T ){u}
the Condensed Stiffness Matrix is then:

[k ′] = ([A] − [B][C ]−1 [B]T )

In this case, it is a n x n matrix, where n is the number of translational degrees of
freedom (in this case a 2 x 2 matrix) involving translations only. If the rotations
are desired, it is a simple matter to insert the resulting displacements into the
known relationship between displacement and rotation.

Governing Equations for the Solution to the Free Vibration Problem in

n Degrees-of-Freedom

With the stiffness constants defined, the governing equations of motion can be
written using Newton’s Second Law for each of the masses in the system:

i.e. mass ∗ acceleration = ∑ forces acting on the mass

m1u&&1 = −k 11u1 − k12 u 2 ... − k1i u i ... − k1n u n

m2 u&&2 = −k 21u1 − k 22 u 2 ... − k 2 i u i ... − k 2n u n
.
.
mn u&&n = −k n1u1 − k n 2u 2 ... − k ni u i ... − k nn u n

where:

d 2 u i (t )
u&&i =
dt 2

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Then for mass mi , in general for j = 1,2…n where n is the number of the degrees of
freedom:

n
m i u&&i + ∑ k ij u j = 0 (1.1)
j =1

This is a set of simultaneous, ordinary differential equations of the second order.

This can be written in matrix form:

[m]{u&&} + [k ]{u} = {0} (1.2)

⎡m1 0 0 0 ⎤
⎢0 m 0 0 ⎥⎥
where [m ] is the diagonal mass matrix: [m ] = ⎢ 2

⎢0 0 mi 0 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣0 0 0 mn ⎦

The displacement vector is a column matrix:

⎧ u1(t ) ⎫
⎪u (t )⎪
⎪⎪ 2 ⎪⎪
{u(t )} = ⎨ . ⎬ = [u1(t ) u 2 (t ) . . u n (t )]T
⎪ . ⎪
⎪ ⎪
⎪⎩u n (t )⎪⎭
and the symmetrical stiffness matrix [k] is:

⎡ k11 k12 k1 j k1n ⎤

⎢k k k2 j k 2n ⎥⎥
[k ] = ⎢⎢ k21 k 22 k jj k jn ⎥
j1 j2
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ n1
k k n2 k nj k nn ⎥⎦

As in the single degree of freedom case, the particular solution is:

u i (t ) = u i sin ωt
u&&i (t ) = −u i ω 2 sin ωt

or, in matrix notation:

{u(t )} = {u}sinωt
(1.3)
{u&&(t )} = −ω 2 {u}sinωt

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In which {u} is the column vector of amplitudes, which are independent of time.
Subsituting equation (1.3) into equation (1.2), yields:

− [m ]ω 2 {u&&}sin ωt + [k ]{u}sin ωt = {0}

The column vector of amplitudes is:

⎧ u1 ⎫
⎪u ⎪
⎪⎪ 2 ⎪⎪
{u} = ⎨ . ⎬ = [u1 u 2 . . u n ]T (1.4)
⎪ . ⎪
⎪ ⎪
⎪⎩u n ⎪⎭

This is a homogeneous algebraic equation for u i , where the frequency, ω is

unknown. This is called the “Eigenvalue Problem” The solution to the Eigenvalue
Problem utilizes the basic properties of homogeneous algebraic equations which
imply that the roots (unknowns) are nontrivial (i.e. not equal to zero) only if the
determinant of the coefficients vanishes.

([k ] − ω [m]){u} = {0}

2

The roots of this equation are non-zero only if the determinant is zero. i.e.:

[k ] − ω 2 [m] =0

if λ = 1/ ω 2 and we pre-multiply by − λ [k ] , then:

−1

(− λ[k ] [k ] + [k ] [m]){u} = {0}

−1 −1

(− λ[I] + [k ] [m]){u} = {0}

−1

where [I] is the Identity Matrix. A non-trivial solution only exists if the
determinant is equal to zero:

− λ [I] + [k ] [m ] = 0
−1

To find the values of λ which satisfy this equation results in a set of unique
Eigenvalues or Natural Frequencies. After the Eigenvalues have been determined,
they are substituted back into the Homogeneous Equation involving {u} . For each
value of λ (recall that λ = 1/ ω 2 ) or natural frequency, a complete set of

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CEE490b

dimensionless displacements are obtained, one for each degree of freedom. There
are the mode shapes associated with each mode of vibration, called Eigenvectors.

In our two-degree of freedom “flagpole” problem, the solution of these equations

results in a closed-form solution for ω 2 , as follows:

Recall that we now have a 2x2 Condensed Stiffness Matrix, [k ′], and the equation
for the characteristic determinant:

[k ′ ] − ω 2
[m ] = 0

becomes:

′ − m1ω 2
k 11 ′
k 12
=0
′
k 21 ′ − m 2ω 2
k 22

the determinant is then a quadratic equation in ω 2 :

′ − m1ω 2 )(k 22
∆ = (k11 ′ − m2ω 2 ) − k12
′ k 21
′ =0
′ + m2 k11
∆ = ω 4 m1m2 − ω 2 (m1k 22 ′ ) + k11
′ k 22
′ − k12
′ k 21
′ =0
⎛ k′ k′ ⎞ k′
ω 4 − ⎜⎜ 11 + 22 ⎟⎟ω 2 − 12 = 0
⎝ m1 m2 ⎠ m1m2

the solution of which is:

′ k 22
1 ⎛ k 11 ′ ⎞ ′ k 22
1 ⎛ k 11 ′ ⎞ k′
ω 1,2 = ⎜⎜ + ⎟⎟ ± ⎜⎜ + ⎟⎟ + 12
2

2 ⎝ m1 m2 ⎠ 4 ⎝ m1 m2 ⎠ m1m2

With each frequency, the amplitude ratios, or mode shapes can be calculated from:

([k ′] − ω [m]){u} = {0}

2

′ k12
⎛ ⎡k11 ′ ⎤ 2 ⎡m1 0 ⎤ ⎞⎧u1 ⎫ ⎧0⎫
⎜⎢ ⎥ − ω j⎢ ⎥ ⎟⎟⎨u ⎬ = ⎨0⎬
⎜ k′ k′
⎝ ⎣ 21 22 ⎦ ⎣ 0 m 2 ⎦ ⎠⎩ 2 ⎭ ⎩ ⎭

⎡k11
′ − ω 2 j m1 ′
k12 ⎤ ⎧u1 ⎫ ⎧0⎫
⎢ ⎥⎨ ⎬ = ⎨ ⎬
⎣ ′
k 21 ′ − ω j m2 ⎦ ⎩u 2 ⎭ ⎩0⎭
k 22 2

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This results in two equations and two unknowns:

(k ′
11 ) ′ u2 = 0
− ω 2j m1 u1 + k12
(
′ u1 + k 22
k 21 )
′ − ω 2j m 2 u 2 = 0

u2
if we define the relative displacement as a j = , then
u1

aj =
u2
=
( ′
ω 2j m1 − k11 )
= 2 12
k
and a1a2 =
m1
u1 k12 ( ′
ω j m2 − k 22 ) m2

Both of these equations must yield the same answer, which acts as a check on the
resulting mode shapes. With more degrees-of-freedom than two, it is desirable to
use a computer to solve the problem.

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