1|Page

THEORY OF MACHINE AND MECHANISM II

ASSIGNMENT NO 6(a)
UNDAMPED FREE RESPONSE OF SDOF SYSTEMS
1. A spring-mass (𝑘 − 𝑚) system has a natural frequency of 20 rad/s. When the spring constant is reduced
by 500 N/m, the natural frequency of the system is lowered by 20 %. Determine the mass (𝑚) and
stiffness (𝑘) of the system.
2. When two springs of spring constants 𝑘1 and 𝑘2 are connected in series to a block, it vibrates with a
natural frequency of 8 rad/s. When the same two springs are connected in parallel to the same block,
the block vibrates with natural frequency of 25 rad/s. Determine the ratio 𝑘1 /𝑘2 .
3. A small mass 𝑚 is attached to a horizontal wire which is under tension 𝑇 as shown in Figure P6a.3.
What will be the natural frequency of vibration of the mass if it is displaced laterally a slight distance
and then released?
4. Determine the natural frequency of the system shown in Figure P6a.4. The weight of the bar is
negligible.

Figure P6a.3 Figure P6a.4

5. Determine the natural frequency of the system shown in Figure P6a.5. Take 𝐴 = 2 × 10−6 𝑚2, 𝐸 =
210 × 109 𝐺𝑃𝑎 for the bar, 𝑚 = 15 𝑘𝑔, 𝑘1 = 1000 𝑁/𝑚 and 𝑘2 = 1500 𝑁/𝑚.

Figure P6a.5
6. A simply supported beam of a cross section of 30 𝑚𝑚 (depth) × 20 𝑚𝑚 (width) and a length of 1
m, carries a mass of 20 kg at its middle. The natural frequency of transverse vibration of beam is found
to be 150 rad/s. Determine the Young's modulus of elasticity of the beam material.
7. Determine the natural frequency of a system consisting of a beam and spring and mass assembly shown
in Figure P6a.7 by modelling it as a single degree of freedom system. Mass of the beam is negligible
in comparison to that of the attached mass. Take 𝐸 = 210 𝐺𝑃𝑎, 𝐿 = 1.5 𝑚 and 𝐼 = 1 × 10−5 𝑚4 for
beam and 𝑘 = 1 𝑀𝑁/𝑚. Determine the new natural frequency when the stiffness value (𝑘) of spring
is (a) reduced by 25 % and (b) increased by 25 %.

TMM II 2078 Assignment 6a/MCL

2|Page

(a) (b)
Figure P6a.7
8. A block of mass 8 kg falls from a height 0.5 m onto the end of a cantilever beam as shown in Figure
P6a.8 and adheres to it without rebounding. Determine the resulting transverse vibration of the beam.
Take 𝐸 = 210 𝐺𝑃𝑎 and 𝐼 = 1 × 10−5 𝑚4 for beam.

Figure P6a.8

Computer Application and Programming

9. A single degree of freedom consists of a mass of 15 kg and a spring with a stiffness of 100 N/m. Derive
the expression for its displacement, velocity and acceleration when it is displaced by 0.05 m from the
equilibrium position and released with an initial velocity of 0.5 m/s. Also plot displacement, velocity
and acceleration for 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 5𝑠.
10. Write down a program to determine the free undamped response of a single degree of freedom. Take
input for mass, stiffness, initial displacement and initial velocity. Give output for natural frequency of
the system and expression for its response. Also produce plots of displacement, velocity and
acceleration for five cycles.

Answers
𝑇 1 1
1. 3.472 kg, 1.39 kN/m 2. 0.13098, 7.6346 3. √ ( + )
𝑚 𝑎 𝑏

(𝑙1 + 𝑙2 )2 𝑘1 𝑘2
4. √ 5. 12.9 rad/s 6. 208.333 GPa
𝑚(𝑙1 2 𝑘1 + 𝑙2 2 𝑘2 )

7. 155.532 rad/s, 135.243 rad/s, 173.189 rad/s; 127.589 rad/s, 115.654 rad/s, 136.809 rad/s
8. 0.009983 𝑠𝑖𝑛(313.7475 𝑡) − 0.000099 𝑐𝑜𝑠(313.7475 𝑡)

TMM II 2078 Assignment 6a/MCL