MIT World Peace University, Pune.

Dynamics of Machinery Lab.

EXPERIMENT NO.– 1

Name- Roll No.-

______________________________________________________________________

AIM: To study undamped and damped free vibrations of single rotor system.

OBJECTIVE-
1. To determine the natural frequency of damped torsional vibrations of single rotor system
with viscous damping and to find the damping co-efficient Ct.

2. To determine damping factor ζ experimentally.

RELEVANCE-
In actual practice, the system with viscous damper has energy dissipation system; this
dissipation may be due to dry friction, internal friction or liquid viscous force. If the
damping system in viscous type is employed then the damping force is proportional to the
velocity of oscillations.

THEORY:
Consider a shaft disc system of length ‘l’ & diameter ‘d’ with torsional damper
attached to it. Let C be the damping co-efficient this is resistive torque per unit length of
angular velocity. Critical damping co-efficient is defined as value of damping co-efficient
that makes the equation within the radical sign to zero. Damping factor is the ratio of
damping co-efficient to critical damping co-efficient and is represented by ‘ξ’.

ξ = Ct / Cc --------(1)

Where,
ξ = Damping factor or damping ratio
Ct= Damping co-efficient
Cc= Critical damping co-efficient
Logarithmic decrement ‘δ’ is defined as natural logarithm of ratio of any two consecutive
amplitudes on same side of mean position. It is measure of decay of the amplitude of a system.

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Dynamics of Machinery Lab.

------(2)

We know that amplitude of damped forced vibration is given by,

--------(3)
√

------(4)
√

From equation (4) we get,

------(5)
√

Figure No.1 shows the experimental setup, which consists of a disc immersed in water or air,
whose damping coefficient is to be found. The disc is suspended with the help of a wire. The
disc can then be set to motion and with the help of recording drum and pencil arrangement; the
amplitude verses linear transverse (which is at a constant rate) can be recorded.

During experimentation work we plotted amplitude verses linear transverse plot as shown in
Figure No.2 in which we measure x1 and x2 , using the definition of logarithmic decrement can
be found by using Equation no.(2). Thus ξ can be evaluated as δ is known experimentally.
Then for torsional vibration,

------(6)
√

Then from above equation the value of Ct which is value of damping coefficient of the water
or air can be calculated.

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Dynamics of Machinery Lab.

Figuer 1. Experimental set-up for Free Damped Vibration

Figure No. 2: Plot Obtained on Paper

EXPERI MENTAL PROCEDURE:

1. Initially the drum is fully filled with water (i.e. Water damping) and oscillations are given
to the flywheel (disc).
2. Time required for certain number of oscillation is measured, from which frequency of
oscillation is calculated for full immersion of lower drum.
3. A paper is pasted to the upper drum and a weight is placed on the pencil which is attached

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Dynamics of Machinery Lab.
to a damper.
4. The pencil moves down with uniform velocity downwards under the action of constant
force.
5. Flywheel (disc) is made to oscillate at the same time and pencil is made to touch the paper.
6. Combination of oscillatory motion of the drum and downward force of the pencil
generates a graph. This procedure is repeated for empty immersion (i.e. Air damping).
7. To find the amplitude of vibration centre line is drown on graph paper and after n cycles
from which the value of δ and C/Cc can be calculated as discussed above.
8. To find moment of inertia I of flywheel (disc), the dimensions of the flywheel (disc) and
upper and lower drum are measured from which I is calculated.
9. The value of Kt can be calculated and Cct is calculated which is equal to √ . Then the
value of Ct can then be calculated.

OBSERVATI ONS:
Diameter of flywheel D = 0.25 m

Mass of flywheel m = 9.2 kg

Diameter of shaft d= 3 mm

Length of shaft L = 0.915 m

Number of oscillation n=5
Modulus of rigidity of the shaft
G =7.84 x 1010 N/m2
material

OBSERVATION TABLE :–

Type of Time for n Time Period Experimental Initial Amplitude

Damping oscillations T natural Amplitude after 5 th cycle
t t/n frequency x0 x5
(sec) (sec) fne (mm) (mm)
(Hz)
Air
8.7 48 30
Damping
Water
9.5 35 12
Damping

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Dynamics of Machinery Lab.

CALCULATIONS-

1. Polar moment of inertia of shaft J,

2. Torsional stiffness of shaft Kt(Theo),

3. Mass moment of inertia of disc I,

I = mD2/8 =

4. Logarithmic decrement δ,

5. Damping factor ξ,

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Dynamics of Machinery Lab.
6. Damped natural frequency ωd,

ωd = 2 f d ( Take f d = fne)

7. Experimental natural frequency of vibration ωn(expt)

=
(√ )

8. Experimental torsional stiffness of shaft KtExpt ,

9. Critical damping coefficient of torsional vibration Cct,

= 2√ =

= 2√ =

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Dynamics of Machinery Lab.
10. Damping coefficient of torsional vibration Ct ,

Ct(expt) = ξ.

Ct(T heo) = ξ.

11. Theoretical natural frequency of vibration fn(Theo) ,

√ =

RESULT TABLE:–

Type of Ct(Theo) Ct(expt) Natural Natural

Damping Frequency Frequency
(Nm.Sec/rad) (Nm.Sec/rad) fn(Experimental) fn(Theo)
fne fnt
(Hz) (Hz)
Air Damping

Water Damping

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Dynamics of Machinery Lab.
CONCLUSIONS-

Write answer to the following questions:

Q1. Classify experimental set up of single rotor system based on actuating force, external
resistance, degree of freedom and motion of system with respect to axis.
Q2. For which type of damping logarithmic decrement was more (for air or water)? Justify your
answer.
Q3. State whether following statement is True or False.
In damped vibrations, the amplitude of the resulting vibration gradually diminishes.
Q4. Is the system used in experiment is underdamped overdamped, or critically damped? Plot
displacement time graph of these systems.
Q5. What is meant by critical damping coefficient?

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