Assignment 3: Two-Degree of Freedom System

Due: 20 November 2017, 10 am

Submit to Dr. Nabihah’s pigeon hole at Block 18, Level 3

1. An airplane, having a mass of 𝑚 = 20,000 kg and a mass moment of inertia of

𝐽𝑜 = 50 × 106 kg.m2 is standing on a runaway, as shown in FIGURE Q1. The
stiffnesses of the main landing gear and nose landing gear supports are given
by 𝑘1 = 20 kN/m and 𝑘2 = 10 kN/m, respectively, and the supports are located
at 𝑙1 = 20 m and 𝑙2 = 30 m from the center of gravity (C.G.), respectively.

FIGURE Q1

a. Sketch the free-body diagram of the system, and formulate its equations of
motion in terms of the vertical displacement of the C.G., 𝑥(𝑡) and the
rotation about the C.G., 𝜃(𝑡). Present the equations of motion in matrix
notation.
[10 marks]

b. Evaluate the natural frequencies of the system and express its

𝜃
corresponding mode shapes in terms of 𝑥 .

[10 marks]