MCG 4308

Mechanical Vibration Analysis

Lecture 4
1 DOF: Free Undamped Vibrations
1 DOF, free undamped oscillator

Displacement
x
k
M

Spring Mass

•Although a simple model, it represents ALL 1DoF, linear,

lumped parameter engineering systems with mass and
stiffness
•See Lecture 1 example on equivalent mass and stiffness
•See table of equivalent masses/springs of common
engineering elements
Equation of Motion (Newton)

y
Which is best coordinate?
x or y?
x
k
M

Spring Mass

−k ( y (t ) − l0 )
my(t ) = mx(t ) = − kx(t )
l0 = unstretched length
⇒ mx(t ) + kx(t ) =
0
⇒ my(t ) + ky (t ) =
kl0

simpler
Energy Methods
An alternative way to determine
the equation of motion
the natural frequency of a system (often without
even having to find the equation of motion first!)

Useful if the forces or torques acting on

the object or mechanical part are difficult
to determine
Potential and Kinetic Energy
The potential energy of mechanical systems V
is often stored in “springs” (remember that for x=0 x0
a spring F=-kx)
k
M
1 2
Vspring = kx
2 Mass Spring

The kinetic energy of mechanical systems T is due to the motion

of the “mass” in the system

1 2
Ttrans = mx
2
Equation of motion from conservation
of Energy
For a simple, conservative (i.e.
no damper), mass spring system x=0 x
the energy must be conserved:
k
T +V =
constant M
d
or (T + V ) =
0 Mass Spring
dt

d d 1 1 2
(T + U ) =  mx + kx  = 0
2

dt dt  2 2 
⇒ x (mx + kx ) = 0
Since x cannot be zero for all time
mx + kx = 0
Derivation of the solution
=
Substitute x Ceλt into=
mx + kx 0
mλ 2Ceλt + kCeλt =
0
mλ 2 + k =0
k k
λ =± − =± j =±ωn j
m m
k
ω=
2
n ⇔ Natural Frequency
m
ωn jt −ωn jt
=x(t ) C=
1e and x (t ) C 2 e
x(t ) C1eωn jt + C2 e−ωn jt
=

This approach will be used again for more complicated problems

Standard Forms:
Standard form for equation

mx(t ) + kx(t ) =
0
x(t ) + ωn2 x(t ) =
 0
k
where ωn2 =
m
Standard forms for solution

=x(t ) A sin(ωnt + φ )
Use these
=x(t ) A1 sin ωnt + A2 cos ωnt
x(t ) C1e jωnt + C2 e− jωnt
=
What can we learn from the solution?
We can write the solution: x(t)
=x(t ) A sin(ωnt + φ )
t
Differentiating:
=x (t ) ωn A cos(ωnt + φ )
=ωn A sin(ωnt + φ + π/2)
Velocity lags displacement by π/2
Amplitude multiplied by ωn
 −ωn2 A sin(ωnt + φ ) =
x(t ) = -ωn2 x(t )
= ωn2 A sin(ωnt + φ + π )
Acceleration lags displacement by π
Amplitude multiplied by ωn2
Peak Values
Remember, sin and cos always oscillate between +1 and -1.
So, we can find the maximum values of displacement, velocity and
acceleration. This will be useful later when using Raleigh’s Method.

max or peak value of:

displacement: xmax = A
velocity: xmax = ωn A
xmax = ωn2 A
acceleration: 
Relationship between Displacement,
Velocity,Acceleration
A=1, ωn=12
1

x -1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
20

0
v

-20
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
200

0
a

-200
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Time (sec)
Note how the relative magnitude increases for wn>1
Initial Conditions
If a system is vibrating then we must assume that something must
have (in the past) transferred energy into to the system and caused
it to move. For example the mass could have been:
•moved a distance x0 and then released at t=0 (i.e. given Potential
energy) or
•given an initial velocity v0 (i.e. given Kinetic energy) or
•Some combination of the two above cases

General Initial Conditions for Free Vibrations:

x=(0) x0 → initial displacement

x=
(0) v0 → initial velocity
Plugging in Initial Conditions
=
Solution Form: x(t ) A1 sin ωnt + A2 cos ωnt
x(0) =A1 sin(0) + A2 cos(0) =A2
x (0) = A1ωn cos(0) − A2ωn sin(0) = A1ωn
⇒ A2 = x(0) = x0
x (0) v0
=
A1 =
ωn ωn
v0
=x(t ) sin ωnt + x0 cos ωnt
ωn
Phase-shifted form
=
Other solution Form: x(t ) A sin(ωnt + φ )
sin(ωnt + φ )
x(t )=A= [ A cos φ ] sin(ωnt ) + [ A sin φ ] cos(ωnt )
= φ
⇒ A1 A cos= A2 A sin φ
sin φ  A2 
⇒ tan φ = =  
cos φ  A1 
 A2   x0ωn 
⇒ φ arctan
= =   arctan   (1) (Check quadrant!)
 1
A  0 
v
A22 A2 sin 2 φ + A2 cos 2 φ = A2
A12 +=
v02
A= A12 + A22 = x02 +
ωn2

v02
x(t ) =
x02 + sin(ωnt + φ ) with φ given in (1)
ωn2
 A note on arctangents
 Note that calculating arctangent from a calculator requires some
attention. First, most machines work in radians.
 The argument atan(-/+) is in a different quadrant then atan(+/-
), and usual machine calculations will return an arctangent in
between -π/2 and +π/2, reading only the atan(-) for both of the
above two cases.
+ +

φ
- _ +
+
φ

- -
 1
=A ωn2 x02 + v02
ωn
x0 = A2
Initial Conditions φ
v0
x(t ) =
1
x02ωn2 + v02 sin(ωnt + φ ) ωn = A1
ωn

x(t) Period
Amplitude
2π
T = A
ωn
x0 Slope
here is v0
t

Maximum
φ Velocity
ωn ωn A
Summary of Simple Harmonic Motion
Eof M ⇒ meq 
x(t ) + keq x(t ) =
0
IC: =
x(0) x=
0 x (0) v0

Response is x(t ) =A1 sin ωnt + A2 cos ωnt =A sin (ωnt + φ )

v  A2 
A1 = 0 A2 =x0 A= A12 + A22 φ =arctan  
ωn  A1 
Most important things we want to know:
Determined by parameters of
keq structure, k m
Natural Frequency ⇒ ωn =2
meq

v02
Amplitude of Motion A = A12 + A22 = + x02 Determined by initial
ωn2 conditions and ωn
Example 1: Effect of fuel on
frequency of an airplane wing

 Model wing as transverse

beam
 Model fuel as tip mass
 Ignore the mass of the
wing and see how the
frequency of the system
changes as the fuel is used
up
Example 1: Transverse beam stiffness

 Strength of materials
f and experiments
yield:
m 3EI
k= 3

3EI
x ωn =
m 3
 Mass of pod: 10 kg empty, 1000 kg full
I = 5.2x10-5 m4, E =6.9x109 N/m, l = 2 m

 Hence the
natural
−5
3(6.9 × 10 )(5.2 × 10 )
9
frequency ω full =
3EI
=
changes by an m 3
1000 ⋅ 23
order of = 11.6 rad/s = 1.8 Hz
magnitude 3EI 3(6.9 × 10 9 )(5.2 × 10 −5 )
while it ω empty = =
m3
10 ⋅2 3
empties out = 115 rad/s = 18.5 Hz

fuel.
Energy Conservation in Oscillatory
Motion
 Potential energy versus time

 Kinetic energy versus time

 Note Kinetic Energy is max when Potential energy is

minimum and vice versa. Total energy is conserved.
Conservation of Energy
For a simple, conservative (i.e. no damper), mass spring
system the energy must be conserved:

T +V =
constant
d
or (T + V ) =
0
dt
When displacement is maximum, potential energy is
maximum but kinetic energy is minimum .

Tmax + Vmin =
Tmin + Vmax
 
can usually =0 Can use these facts
set to 0 to derive equation
so of motion and find
natural frequency.
Tmax = Vmax
Raleigh’s Method for natural frequency
•Assume solution x(t)= Asin(wt+φ) (sinusoid)
•Then max x(t) = A, max dx/dt=ωnA.
•Equate maximum potential (Vmax) and kinetic energies (Tmax) to
calculate the natural frequency of the system.

1 2 1
Example: =Vmax = kA Tmax m(ωn A) 2
2 2
Since Tmax = Vmax
x=0 x0
1 2 1
M
k kA = m(ωn A) 2
2 2
k
⇒=
k mωn2 ⇒ ω=
n
m
 Raleigh Method: shortcut
If we use concept of equivalent mass and equivalent stiffness
for a 1 DOF system with *linear* spring elements, we can write total kinetic and
potential energies as:

1 1
T = meq x 2 and V keq x 2
2 2

Then Raleigh method essentially says:

keq
ωn2 =
meq
Reminders

 Polar moment of inertia is a measure of an

object's ability to resist torsion – resistance to
twist.
 It is analogous to the area moment of inertia,
which characterizes an object's ability to resist
bending.
 Must not be confused with the mass moment of
inertia, which characterizes an object's angular
acceleration due to a torque – resistance to being
rotated.