Solutions: Homework Set 8

1. For Problem 7.2, draw free body diagrams of the three masses. Then Newton’s second
law gives
X
Fx1 = m1 ẍ1 = −k1 x1 + k2 (x2 − x1 )
X
Fx2 = m2 ẍ2 = −k2 (x2 − x1 ) + k3 (x3 − x2 ) − (k5 + k6 )x2
X
Fx3 = m3 ẍ3 = −k3 (x3 − x2 ) − k4 x3

EOMs:
       
m1  ẍ1  k1 + k2 −k2  x1   0 
 m2  ẍ2 +  −k2 k2 + k3 + k5 + k6 −k3  x2 = 0
m3 ẍ3 −k3 k3 + k4 x3 0
     

For Lagrange’s equations, we need kinetic energy:

  
3 m1  ẋ1 
1X 1
T = mi ẋ2i = [ ẋ1 ẋ2 ẋ3 ]  m2  ẋ2
2 2
m3 ẋ3
 
i=1

potential energy:

1
k1 x21 + k2 (x2 − x1 )2 + k3 (x3 − x2 )2 + k4 x23 + k5 x22 + k6 x22

V =
2   
k1 + k2 −k2  x1 
1
= [ x1 x2 x3 ]  −k2 k2 + k3 + k5 + k6 −k3  x2
2
−k3 k3 + k4 x3
 

and non-conservative virtual work:

3
X
δW nc = Qi,nc δxi = 0
i=1

from which the non-conservative generalized forces are all zero. Lagrange’s equa-
tions give the same EOMs as above. For the masses and spring stiffnesses given in
Problem 7.21, the eigenvalues are {λ1 , λ2 , λ3 } = {1.3409, 1.8250, 6.3342}k/m and the
eigenvectors (not mass-normalized) are
 
1 1 1
Û = [ û1 û2 û3 ] =  0.6591 0.1750 −4.3342 
2.0710 −0.2693 0.4483

1
 The modal masses m0i = uTi M ui , with the eigenvectors above, are {m1 , m2 , m3 } =
m{10.0125, 1.1757, 20.1872}. The mass-normalized eigenvectors, formed by dividing
each one above by the square root of its modal mass, are
 
0.3160 0.9223 0.2226
1
U = [ u1 u2 u3 ] = √  0.2083 0.1614 −0.9647 
m
0.6545 −0.2484 0.0998

2. For Problem 7.6, draw free body diagrams of masses m1 , m2 and m3 . Applying
Newton’s second law to these three, and its rotational analogue to m3 , yields

m1 ẍ3 = c1 (ẋ1 − ẋ3 ) + k1 (x1 − x3 ) − k3 x3

m2 ẍ4 = c2 (ẋ2 − ẋ4 ) + k2 (x2 − x4 ) − k4 x4
m3 ẍC = −c1 (ẋ1 − ẋ3 ) − c2 (ẋ2 − ẋ4 ) − k1 (x1 − x3 ) − k2 (x2 − x4 )
IC θ̈ = c1 (ẋ1 − ẋ3 )a − c2 (ẋ2 − ẋ4 )b + k1 (x1 − x3 )a − k2 (x2 − x4 )b

Since xC = (bx1 + ax2 )/L and θ = (x2 − x1 )/L, the equations of motion become

m3 b/L m3 a/L ẍ
  
 1

 −IC /L IC /L  ẍ2

m1  ẍ3 
 
 
m2 ẍ4
c1 c2 −c1 −c2  ẋ1 
  
 −ac1 bc2 ac1 −bc2  ẋ2
 
+
−c1 c1  ẋ3 

 
−c2 c2 ẋ4
k1 k2 −k1 −k2  x1  0
    
   
 −ak1 bk2 ak1 −bk2  x2 0
 
+ =
−k1 (k1 + k3 )  x3  0

   
−k2 (k2 + k4 ) x4 0

The matrices are not symmetric. For Lagrange’s equations, we need kinetic energy:

1h i
T = m3 ẋ2C + IC θ̇2 + m1 ẋ23 + m2 ẋ24
2
1
m3 {(bẋ1 + aẋ2 )/L}2 + IC {(ẋ2 − ẋ1 )/L}2 + m1 ẋ23 + m2 ẋ24

=
2
 T  2
ẋ1  (b m3 + IC )/L2 (abm3 − IC )/L2 ẋ1 
 
 2 2 2

1 ẋ2
 
 (abm3 − IC )/L (a m3 + IC )/L  ẋ2
  1
= = ẋT M ẋ
 ẋ3 
2 m1  ẋ3   2
 
 
ẋ4 m2 ẋ4

2
 potential energy:

1
k1 (x1 − x3 )2 + k2 (x2 − x4 )2 + k3 x23 + k4 x24

V =
2
k1 −k1 x
  
1  1
  1
k2 −k2  x2
= [ x1 x2 x3 x4 ]  = xT Kx

2 −k1 k1 + k3 x
  2

 3 
−k2 k2 + k4 x4

and non-conservative virtual work, which can be found by determining the dashpot
forces in terms of velocities ẋi and figuring out how much virtual work the dashpot
forces do as virtual displacements take place:

δW nc = −c1 (ẋ1 − ẋ3 )δx1 − c2 (ẋ2 − ẋ4 )δx2 + c1 (ẋ1 − ẋ3 )δx3 + c2 (ẋ2 − ẋ4 )δx4
c1 −c1 ẋ
  
 1

c −c ẋ2

2 2
= − [ δx1 δx2 δx3 δx4 ]  = −δxT C ẋ

−c1 c1 ẋ

 3
 
−c2 c2 ẋ4

Lagrange’s equations give EOMs in the form M ẍ + C ẋ + Kx = 0. The matrices

in these EOMs are symmetric. These EOMs agree with the ones obtained earlier,
because they can be obtained by multiplying the earlier EOMs by the matrix

T
b/L a/L

−1/L 1/L
TT =
 
1

1

3. For Problem 7.1, free body diagrams of masses m1 , m2 and m3 yield the equations
(see lecture12.ppt)

y1 y 2 − y1
m1 ÿ1 = F1 − m1 g − T sin θ1 + T sin θ2 ≈ F1 − m1 g − T +T
L1 L2
y2 − y 1 y2 − y3
m2 ÿ2 = F2 − m2 g − T sin θ2 − T sin θ3 ≈ F2 − m2 g − T −T
L2 L3
y2 − y 3 y3
m3 ÿ3 = F3 − m3 g + T sin θ3 − T sin θ4 ≈ F3 − m3 g + T −T
L3 L4

EOMs:
   T T
L1 + L2 − LT2
    
m1  ÿ1   y1   F1 − m1 g 
m2  ÿ2 +  − T T T
− LT3  y2 = F2 − m2 g
L2 + L3

L2
m3 ÿ3 − LT3 T T y3 F3 − m3 g
     
L2 + L3

3
For EOMs governing displacements relative to equilibrium, we can drop the weights
mi g. For Lagrange’s equations, there is a potential energy associated with the tension,
given by
T
+ LT2 − LT2
  
1 L1  y1 
VT = [ y1 y2 y3 ]  − LT2 T
L2 + L3
T
− LT3  y2
2
− LT3 T T y3
 
L2 + L3

3
X ∂V
The variation δVT = δxi is
i=1
∂xi

T
+ LT2 − LT2
  
L1  δy1 
δVT = [ y1 y2 y3 ]  − LT2 T
L2 + L3
T
− LT3  δy2
− LT3 T T δy3
 
L2 + L3

This is the negative of the virtual work done by the tension, which can be seen from
the free body diagrams:
   
y1 y2 − y 1 y 2 − y1 y2 − y 3
δW T = −T +T δy1 + −T −T δy2
L1 L2  L2 L3
y2 − y3 y3
+ T −T δy3
L3 L4

With potential energy VT , the kinetic energy and the non-conservative virtual work
are fairly obvious, so Lagrange’s equations give the same EOMs as above. (You can
include or exclude gravitational potential energy depending on whether you want
displacements measured relative to equilibrium.) For Problem 7.19, the equations of
motion become
       
1  ÿ1  T 2 −1  y1   0 
m  1  ÿ2 +  −1 2 −1  y2 = 0
  L
1 ÿ3 −1 2 y3 0
   

Eigenvalue problem:
    
2 −1  y1   y1 
 −1 2 −1  y2 = λ(I) y2
−1 2 y3 y3
   

where I = identity matrix, and λ ≡ ω 2 mL/T is defined so that it contains all dimen-
sional quantities, and is dimensionless (perfect for Matlab!). Eigenpairs:
   
 1   1 
λ1 = 0.5858, Y1 = 1.4142 ; λ2 = 2.0000, Y2 = 0 ;
1 −1
   

4
  
1 
λ3 = 3.4142, Y3 = −1.4142
1
 
p
Natural frequencies are given by ωi = λi T /mL. When you sketch the modes you
see that the first and third are symmetric about the middle mass, and the second
mode is antisymmetric. For Problem 7.20, the eigenvalue problem is now
     
2 −1  y1  1  y1 
 −1 2 −1  y2 = λ  1  y2
−1 2 y3 2 y3
   

where λ ≡ ω 2 mL/T . Eigenpairs:

   
1   1 
λ1 = 0.4486, Y1 = 1.5514 ; λ2 = 1.4268, Y2 = 0.5732 ;
1.4068 −0.6714
   

 
1 
λ3 = 3.1246, Y3 = −1.1246
0.2647
 

By adding mass to the system, we have lowered the natural frequencies. By making
m1 and m3 unequal, we have destroyed the symmetry of the system, so the modes
are no longer symmetric and antisymmetric, as is evident from sketches of the mode
shapes. Problem 7.37 deals with the symmetric system of Problem 7.19. Modal
initial velocities are zero in both cases, and modal initial displacements are given by
ηr (0) = (1/m0r )YTr M y(0). In case (1), the initial displacements are symmetric, so the
initial modal displacement of the second (antisymmetric: y1 = −y3 ) mode is zero,
and the response of the system is equal to the response of only the first and third
(symmetric: y1 = y3 ) modes:
√   √ 
 2/4   − 2/4 
y(t) = √1/2 cos ω1 t + 1/2 cos ω3 t
 √
2/4 − 2/4
  

In case (2), the initial displacements are antisymmetric, so the initial displacements
of the symmetric first and third modes are zero, and the response of the system is
entirely in terms of the second (antisymmetric) mode:
 
 −1 
y(t) = 0 cos ω2 t
1
 

Problem 7.38 is for the same system, but with zero initial displacements and a sym-
metric initial velocity. Initial modal velocities are given by η̇r (0) = (1/m0r )YTr M ẏ(0),

5
 3
X 1
and the response of the system is given by y(t) = Yr η̇r (0) sin ωr t:
r=1
ωr
    
r 0.4619  −0.1913 
mL  
y(t) = 0.6533 sin ω1 t + 0.2706 sin ω3 t
T
0.4619 −0.1913
   

4. For the system of Problem 7.14, the assembled global stiffness matrix is the same
as the 7 × 7 one for Problem 7.32 (see lecture21.ppt), except that the rotation θ0
at the root of the beam is zero, so an additional row and column are crossed out
in the assembled global stiffness matrix. Also, the system shown in Fig. 7.25 may
have different flexural rigidities EIi and element lengths Li . For simplicity, results
are shown here for the case in which these quantities are the same for the three beam
segments. The 6 × 6 stiffness matrix K is reordered so that rows and columns for the
three displacements v1 , v2 and v3 are first and those for rotations θ1 , θ2 and θ3 follow.
Then K is partitioned into
   
24 −12 6
EI  EI  T
K11 = 3 −12 24 −12  , K12 = −6 6  = K21 ,
L L2
−12 12   −6 −6
8 2
EI 
K22 = 2 8 2
L
2 4

and, following the procedure in the lecture, the rotations are eliminated, yielding a
3 × 3 stiffness matrix
 
18.4615 −10.6154 2.7692
−1 EI
K3×3 = K11 − K12 K22 K21 = 3  −10.6514 10.1538 −3.6923 
L
2.7692 −3.6923 1.6154

This stiffness matrix relates the loads acting on the beam at the mass locations to the
deflections there through the static equation K3×3 v = F . The forces on the beam
are the negatives of the forces on the masses, by Newton’s third law, so free body
diagrams of the masses and Newton’s second law tell us that mi v̈i = −Fi . Combining
this with K3×3 v = F and rearranging yields the EOMs
       
m1  v̈1  EI 18.4615 −10.6154 2.7692  v1   0 
 m2  v̈2 +  −10.6514 10.1538 −3.6923  v2 = 0
  L3
m3 v̈3 2.7692 −3.6923 1.6154 v3 0
   

With the kinetic energy T = 12 v̇T M v̇ and the potential energy V = 12 vT K3×3 v,
Lagrange’s equations give the same EOMs. If m1 = m2 = m and m3 = m/2, natural

6
 p
frequencies are {ω1 , ω2 , ω3 } = {0.3718, 2.0984, 5.2254} EI/mL3 and modes are given
by      
 0.1618   −0.7307   1.0000 
V1 = 0.5401 , V2 = −0.7068 , V3 = −0.7157
1.0000 1.0000 0.4496
     

5. The kinetic energy is simply T = 21 ẋT (mI)ẋ, and the potential energy is
1 −1
 
1  −1 2 −1
V = xT k  x

2 −1 2 −1
−1 1
so the EOMs are
m ẍ1  1 −1 x 0
       
  1
    
m  ẍ2  −1 2 −1  x2 0
  
+ k =

m  ẍ3  −1 2 −1   x3  0
   
    
m ẍ4 −1 1 x4 0
p
Natural frequencies are {ω1 , ω2 , ω3 , ω4 } = {0.0000, 0.7654, 1.4142, 1.8476} k/m and
modes are given by
0.5000  0.6533  0.5000  −0.2706 
       
   
0.5000 0.2706 −0.5000 0.6533
       
u1 = , u2 = , u3 = , u4 =
 0.5000 
   −0.2706 
   −0.5000 
   −0.6533 
 
0.5000 −0.6533 0.5000 0.2706
The first mode is a rigid body mode, with a natural frequency of zero. If the sys-
tem has the initial displacements xi (0) = 0, i = 1, 2, 3, 4 and the initial veloci-
ties ẋ1 (0) = v0 , ẋi (0) = 0, i = 2, 3, 4, the modal initial conditions are given by
ηr (0) = (1/m0r )uTr M x(0) and η̇r (0) = (1/m0r )uTr M ẋ(0). The modes given by Matlab
were unit vectors in this case, so uTr ur = 1. Since the mass matrix is M = mI in this
case, where I is the identity matrix, modal masses are given by m0r = uTr M ur = m
for all four modes. This makes the modal initial conditions easy to calculate. The
modal initial displacements are all zero. The modal initial velocities become
η̇1 (0) = 0.5000v0 , η̇2 (0) = 0.6533v0 , η̇3 (0) = 0.5000v0 , η̇4 (0) = −0.2706v0
4
X 1
and the system response is given by ẋ(t) = u1 η̇1 (0)t + ur η̇r (0) sin ωr t, in which
r=2
ωr
the rigid body mode receives special treatment. System response:
0.5000  0.6533 
   
   0.6533v
0.5000 0.2706
  
0
x(t) = 0.5000v0 t + sin ω2 t

 0.5000 
 
 −0.2706 
 ω2
0.5000 −0.6533
0.5000  −0.2706 
   
  0.5000v   −0.2706v
−0.5000 0.6533
 
0 0
+ sin ω3 t + sin ω4 t

 −0.5000 
 ω3 
 −0.6533 
 ω4
0.5000 0.2706