Determine Damping Ratio Using

Experimental Method

EMCH 330, Fall 2015

Guest lecturer: Zhenhua Tian
 Background
 Log decrement is defined as
x1
δ = ln
x2
 And it’s related to damping ratio as x1&x2: consecutive amplitudes of
vibration displacement
x1 2πζ
δ = ln =
x2 1−ζ 2
 If we can experimentally acquire the amplitudes x1
and x2, log decrement δ is determined; and then
damping ratio ζ can be determined.

Acquiring Determining δ as Determining ζ with

x1 2πζ
x1 and x2 δ = ln δ=
x2 1− ζ 2

2
 Experimental Method
 To increase accuracy, we actually use the 1st and
the mth amplitudes to determine the damping ratio
1  x1 
δ= ln  
x1 M − 1  xM 
1 x2 x15
0.5
Time (sec)

-0.5

-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Time (sec)

 Now the question is how to get the vibration data?

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 Experiment: Acquiring the Vibration Data
 Oscilloscope
– Measure electrical signal
– Data recording

Initial
displacement
 Cantilever beam
– Vibration object

 Piezoelectric element
x3 x2
Electrical Mechanical
ε1 = d 31E3 signal deformation
_
V
_ _ ε 2 = d 32 E3
+ E3 P3
x1
+ +
EMCH 575 (2016 Spring, Dr. Yu)
Adaptive Materials and Smart Structures

4
 Data and Vibration Analysis
x1 = 22.0
x15 = 9.8

20
Amplitude (V)

-20

0 0.5 1 1.5
Time (sec)

1  x  1  22.0  δ2
δ == ln  1  = ln   0.0578 ζ = = 0.0091
M − 1  xM  15 − 1  9.8  4π + δ
2 2

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 Using Matlab To Acquire x1,x2
Read .csv file using Matlab

Put the csv file in the same folder where you save your Matlab program

X: 2356
30 Y: 22.02

20 X: 4882
Y: 9.796
10

-10

-20

-30

-40
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000

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Using Excel To Acquire x1,x2