VIBRATION ENGINEERING

BY: RAY H. MALONJAO

EXAMPLE: SLIDER MECHANISM: SYSTEM WITH VARYING INERTIA
PROPERTY

A slider mechanism with a pivot at point O is shown. A slider of

mass 𝑚𝑠 slides along a uniform bar of mass 𝑚𝑙 . Another bar,
which is pivoted at point 𝑂′ , has a portion of length b that has a
mass 𝑚𝑏 and another portion of length e that has a mass 𝑚𝑒 .
We shall determine the rotary inertia 𝐽𝑂 of this system and
show its dependence on the angular displacement coordinate
φ.
EXAMPLE: SLIDER MECHANISM: SYSTEM WITH VARYING INERTIA
PROPERTY

If 𝑎𝑒 is the distance from the midpoint of bar of mass 𝑚𝑒 to O

and 𝑎𝑏 is the distance from the midpoint of bar of mass 𝑚𝑏 to
O, then from geometry we find that:

𝑟 2 (φ)= 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 − 2abcosφ

𝑎𝑏2 (φ)= (𝑏Τ2)2 + 𝑎2 − abcosφ

𝑎𝑒2 (φ)= (𝑒Τ2)2 + 𝑎2 − aecos(π − φ)

EXAMPLE: SLIDER MECHANISM: SYSTEM WITH VARYING INERTIA
PROPERTY

and hence, all motions of the system can be described in terms

of the angular coordinate φ. The rotary inertia 𝐽𝑂 of this system
is given

where
EXAMPLE: SPECIFY THE NUMBER OF DOF AND SET OF
GENERALIZED COORDINATES.

The system has one degree of freedom. If θ, the clockwise

angular displacement of the bar from the system’s equilibrium
position, is chosen as the generalized coordinate, then a particle
initially a distance l from the fixed support has a horizontal
position 𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑠θ and a vertical displacement 𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛θ.
EXAMPLE: SPECIFY THE NUMBER OF DOF AND SET OF
GENERALIZED COORDINATES.

The system has two degrees of freedom, assuming it is

constrained from side to side motion. If θ, the clockwise angular
displacement of the bar measured from its equilibrium position,
and x, the displacement of the bar’s mass center measured from
the equilibrium, are chosen as generalized coordinates, then the
displacement of a particle a distance d to the right of the mass
center is 𝑥 + 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ.
EXAMPLE: SPECIFY THE NUMBER OF DOF AND SET OF
GENERALIZED COORDINATES.

The system has one degrees of freedom. If θ, the clockwise

angular displacement of the pulley measured from the system’s
equilibrium position, is chosen as the generalized coordinate,
then, assuming no slip between the pulley and the cables, the
displacement of the block of 𝑚1 is rθ upward and the
displacement of the block of mass 𝑚2 is 2rθ.
EXAMPLE: SPECIFY THE NUMBER OF DOF AND SET OF
GENERALIZED COORDINATES.

The system has three degrees of freedom. Since an elastic

element is placed between the pulley and the blocks, no
kinematic relationship exists between the displacement of
either of the blocks and the angular rotation of the pulley. A
suitable choice of generalized coordinates is θ, the clockwise
angular displacement of the pulley, 𝑥1 ,the upward displacement
of the block of mass 𝑚1 , and 𝑥2 ,the downward displacement of
the block of mass 𝑚2 , all measured from the equilibrium
position of the system.