Chapter 4

Torsional Vibration
4.1 What is torsional vibration?
When the particles of a shaft or disc move in a circle about the axis of a shaft, then the vibrations are
known as torsional vibrations. In this case, the shaft is twisted and untwisted alternately and torsional
shear stresses are induced in the shaft.

4.2 Natural frequency of a torsional vibration

Consider a shaft of negligible mass whose one end is fixed and the other end carrying a disc as shown
in Fig. 4.1.

Fig. 4.1
Let, the shaft is twisted (angular displacement) from the mean position after time t. Now we
may define some symbols as below:

m = Mass of the disc in kg

 = Angular displacement of the shaft after time t in radians
I = Mass moment of inertia in kg-m2 (m.k2)
k = Radius of gyration in meters
q = Torsional stiffness in N-m/rad
 For the free vibration, we can write equation of motion as:
𝑑2 𝜃
𝐼 2 = −𝑞𝜃 ……(4.1)
𝑑𝑡
2
𝑑 𝜃
𝐼 2 + 𝑞𝜃 = 0 ……(4.2)
𝑑𝑡
𝑑2 𝜃 𝑞
+ 𝜃 = 0 ……(4.3)
𝑑𝑡 2 𝐼
𝑑2 𝜃
2 + 𝜔2 𝜃 = 0 ……(4.4)
𝑑𝑡
𝑞 2𝜋 𝐼 1 1 𝑞
Where, 𝜔 = √ , 𝑡𝑝 = = 2𝜋√ and 𝑓𝑛 = = √ …. (4.5)
𝐼 𝜔 𝑞 𝑡𝑝 2𝜋 𝐼

4.2 Torsional stiffness

We know, twisting or angular displacement due to torque is from torsion equation:

𝑇𝐿
𝜃=
𝐺𝐽
Where, 𝑇 =torque applied at the free end in N-m, 𝐺 =modulus of rigidity in Pa, 𝐽 =polar moment of
inertia, 𝐿 =length of the shaft in m.
𝑇 𝐺𝐽
=
𝜃 𝐿
𝐺𝐽
∴𝑞= …. (4.6)
𝐿

4.2 Free torsional vibration of a single rotor system

We know, Natural frequency is:
1 1 𝑞
𝑓𝑛 = 𝑡 = 2𝜋 √ 𝐼 … (4.7)
𝑝
1 1 𝐺𝐽
or 𝑓𝑛 = = √ where,
𝑡𝑝 2𝜋 𝑙𝐼
𝜋
𝐽= 𝑑 4 , d=diameter of the shaft.
32

Fig. 4.2 Free torsional vibration of a single

degree of freedom (mode shape)
4.3 Free torsional vibration of a two rotors system

Consider a two rotor system as shown

in Fig. 4.3. It consists of a shaft with
two rotors at its ends. In this system,
the torsional vibrations occur only
when the two rotors A and B move in
opposite directions i.e. if A moves in
anticlockwise direction then B moves
in clockwise direction at the same
instant and vice versa. It may be
mentioned that the two rotors must Fig. 4.3 Free torsional vibration of a two-rotor-system
(mode shape)
have the same frequency.

IA = Mass moment of inertia of rotor A.

IB = Mass moment of inertia of rotor B.
d = Diameter of the shaft

Therefore, natural frequency of a torsional vibration for a rotor A,

1 𝐺𝐽
𝑓𝑛𝐴 = 2𝜋 √𝑙 ….. (4.8)
𝐴 𝐼𝐴

And, the natural frequency of a torsional vibration for a rotor B,

1 𝐺𝐽
𝑓𝑛𝐵 = 2𝜋 √𝑙 ….. (4.9)
𝐵 𝐼𝐵

Now, 𝑓𝑛𝐴 = 𝑓𝑛𝐵

So, we can get the below equation from eqns. 4.8 and 4.9:
𝑙𝐴 𝐼𝐴 = 𝑙𝐵 𝐼𝐵 …….. (4.10)
And, another equation we can write:

𝑙 = 𝑙𝐴 + 𝑙𝐵 …… (4.11)

4.3 Free torsional vibration of a three rotors system

Consider a three rotors system as shown is Fig. 4.4. It consists of a shaft and three rotors A, B and C.
The rotors A and C' are attached to the ends of a shaft, whereas the rotor B is attached in between A
and C. The torsional vibrations may occur in two ways that is with either one node or two nodes. In
each case, the two rotors rotate in one direction and the third rotor rotates in opposite direction with
the same frequency. Let the rotors A and C' of the system, as shown in Fig. 4.4 (a), rotate in the same
direction and the rotor B in opposite direction.

Fig. 4.4

𝐼𝐴 = Mass moment of inertia of rotor A.

𝐼𝐵 = Mass moment of inertia of rotor B.

𝐼𝐶 = Mass moment of inertial of rotor C.
d = Diameter of the shaft

Natural frequency of torsional vibration of rotor A,

1 𝐺𝐽
𝑓𝑛𝐴 = √ …….. (4.12)
2𝜋 𝑙 𝐴 𝐼𝐴

Natural frequency of torsional vibration of rotor B,

1 𝐺𝐽 1 1
𝑓𝑛𝐴 = √ (𝑙 + ) ….. (4.13)
2𝜋 𝑙 𝐵 1 −𝑙𝐴
𝑙2 −𝑙𝐶
Natural frequency of torsional vibration of rotor C,
1 𝐺𝐽
𝑓𝑛𝐶 = √ ….. (4.14)
2𝜋 𝑙 𝐶 𝐼𝐶

As 𝑓𝑛𝐴 = 𝑓𝑛𝐵 = 𝑓𝑛𝐶 ,

1 𝐺𝐽 1 𝐺𝐽
√ = √
2𝜋 𝑙𝐴 𝐼𝐴 2𝜋 𝑙𝐶 𝐼𝐶
∴ 𝑙𝐴 𝐼𝐴 = 𝑙𝑐 𝐼𝑐 …… (4.15)
And
1 𝐺𝐽 1 1 1 𝐺𝐽
√ ( + )= √
2𝜋 𝐼𝐵 𝑙1 − 𝑙𝐴 𝑙2 − 𝑙𝐶 2𝜋 𝑙𝐶 𝐼𝐶
1 1 1 1
=> ( + )= …. (4.16)
𝐼𝐵 𝑙1 −𝑙𝐴 𝑙2 −𝑙𝐶 𝐼 𝐶 𝑙𝐶

𝑎1 𝑎2
=
𝑙𝐴 𝑙1 − 𝑙𝐴
𝑎2 𝑎3
=
𝑙2 − 𝑙𝐶 𝑙𝐶
Another mode is shown in Fig. 4.5.

Fig.4.5

𝑎1 𝑎2
=
𝑙𝐴 𝑙𝐴 − 𝑙1
𝑎3 𝑎2
=
𝑙𝐶 𝑙𝐶 − 𝑙2
4.3 Torsionally equivalent shaft

Fig. 4.6

𝑇𝑙 𝑇𝑙1 𝑇𝑙2 𝑇𝑙3

= + +
𝐺𝐽 𝐺𝐽1 𝐺𝐽2 𝐺𝐽3

𝑙 𝑙1 𝑙2 𝑙3
= + +
𝐽 𝐽1 𝐽2 𝐽3
𝑙 𝑙1 𝑙2 𝑙3
𝜋 4 = +
𝜋 4 𝜋 4 𝜋 4 +
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
32 32 1 32 2 32 3
𝑙 𝑙1 𝑙2 𝑙3
= + +
𝑑4 𝑑14 𝑑24 𝑑34
𝑙 𝑙1 𝑙2 𝑙3
= + +
𝑑14 𝑑14 𝑑24 𝑑34
𝑑14 𝑑14
𝑙 = 𝑙1 + 𝑙 + 𝑙 ……. (4.17)
𝑑24 2 𝑑34 3

References:
1. Mechanical Vibration, S.S. Rao
2. Theory of machines, Khurmi