Example1: SDOF free vibration without damping

The packaging for an instrument can be modeled as shown

in below, in which the instrument of mass m is restrained
by springs of total stiffness k inside a container; m = 45 kg
and k = 900N/m. The container is accidentally dropped
from a height of 1m above the ground. Assuming that it
does not bounce on contact, determine the maximum
deformation of the packaging within the box and the
maximum acceleration of the instrument.

1m
Solution:
1. Determine deformation and velocity at impact
mg 45  9.81
u (0) = = = 0.491m
k 900
u (0) = − 2 gh = −2 2  9.811 = 8.86m / sec

2. Determine the natural frequency

k 900
n = = = 4.472rad / sec
m 45
3. Compute maximum deformation
u (0)
u (t ) = u (0)Cosnt + Sinnt
n
8.86
u (t ) = 0.491Cos 4.472t + Sin 4.472t
4.472
2
 u (0) 
uo = u (0) + 
2


 n 
2
 8.86 
uo = 0.491 +  = 2.0412m
2

 4.472 
4. Compute maximum acceleration

uo = n2uo = (4.472) 2 (2.0412) = 40.8201m/sec 2

Example 2: SDOF free vibration with damping

The stiffness and damping properties of a mass–spring–

damper system are to be determined by a free vibration
test; the mass is given as m = 2kg. In this test the mass is
displaced 1 m. by a hydraulic jack and then suddenly
released. At the end of 20 complete cycles, the time is 3
sec and the amplitude is 0.2 m. Determine the stiffness
and damping coefficients.
Solution:
1. Determine   and   N
1  u1  1  1 
= ln
 
= ln  = 0.0128 = 1.28%
2j  u j +1  2 (20)  0.2 
small damping
3 assumption holds true
TD = = 0.15 sec; Tn  TD = 0.15 sec
20
2
n = = 41.89rads / sec
0.15

2. Determine stiffness coefficients

k =  m = (41.89 )  2 = 3509.54 N / m
2 2
n
3. Determine damping coefficient
ccr = 2m = 2  2  41.89 = 167.56kg. sec/ m
c =   ccr = 0.0128 167.56 = 2.145kg. sec/ m
Example 3: SDOF harmonic load forced vibration
with damping; dynamic amplification factor

An air-conditioning unit weighing 500N is bolted at the

middle of two parallel simply supported steel beams shown
below. The clear span of the beams is 3m. The second
moment of cross-sectional area of each beam is
4.16231x10-6 m4. The motor in the unit runs at 300 rpm and
produces an unbalanced vertical force of 40N at this speed.
Neglect the weight of the beams and assume 1% viscous
damping in the system; for steel E = 200GPa.

Determine the amplitudes of steady-state deflection and

steady-state acceleration of the beams at their midpoints
which result from the unbalanced force.
1.5m 1.5m
 Solution:

Given: m = 500 N
E = 200GPa
I = 4.16231x10-6 m 4
P0 = 40 N
 = 1%
l = 3m
 300 
 = 2 = 10rad / sec
 60 
1. Stiffness of the two beams
 48 EI   48  4.1623110  200 10 
−6 9
k = 2 3  = 2 
 L  
3
3 
k = 2.96 106 N / m

2. Natural frequency

k 2.96 106
n = = = 240.99rad / sec
m 500
9.81
3. Steady state response

 10
= = 0.1303
n 240.99
1
Rd =
2
   2
   2
1 −    + 2 
  n    n 
1
Rd = = 1.02
1 − (0.1303)  + 2  0.01 0.1303
2 2 2
4. Calculation of displacement and acceleration amplitude

Displacement amplitude

uo = (u st )o Rd = Rd =
Po 40
1.02 = 0.014mm
k 2.96 10 6

Acceleration amplitude

uo =  2u0 = (10 ) 2 14 10 −5 = 0.14m / sec 2

Example 4: SDOF: Force Transmission to ground

A vibration isolation block is to be installed in a laboratory so

that the vibration from adjacent factory operations will not
disturb certain experiments (See Fig below). If the isolation
block weighs 10 kg and the surrounding floor and
foundation vibrate at 1500 cycles per minute, determine the
stiffness of the isolation system such that the motion of the
isolation block is limited to 10% of the floor vibration;
neglect damping.
Given:
m = 1000kg
f = 1500cpm = 25 Hz
TR = 0.1
 =0
Solution:
Transmissibility ratio for damped system
 1 + (2 r )2 
TR =  
 (1 − r 2 ) + (2r ) 
2 2
 
Transmissibility ratio for undamped system reduces to
1 f
TR = where r =
1− r 2 n
 f
For TR <1, r =  2 and the equation becomes
n
1
TR = This is to avoid negative TR value
r 2 −1

f f
2
1 
= 0.1  r = 11  
2
 = 11  = 3.32
r −1  n n
2

f 2f 2  25
n = = = = 47.31rad / sec
3.32 3.32 3.32
k = n m = (47.31) 10 = 22.38kN / m
2 2