30 DYNAMICS OF STRUCTURES

6
No. cycles to reduce peak

5
amplitude by 50%

0 FIGURE 2-13
0 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20
Damping ratio vs. number of cycles required to
Damping ratio reduce peak amplitude by 50 percent.

For lightly damped systems, greater accuracy in evaluating the damping ratio
can be obtained by considering response peaks which are several cycles apart, say m
cycles; then
vn 2mπξ
ln =p (2-58)
vn+m 1 − ξ2
which can be simplified for low damping to an approximate relation equivalent to
Eq. (2-57):
. vn − vn+m
ξ= (2-59)
2 m π vn+m

When damped free vibrations are observed experimentally, a convenient method

for estimating the damping ratio is to count the number of cycles required to give a 50
percent reduction in amplitude. The relationship to be used in this case is presented
graphically in Fig. 2-13. As a quick rule of thumb, it is convenient to remember that for
percentages of critical damping equal to 10, 5, and 2.5, the corresponding amplitudes
are reduced by 50 percent in approximately one, two, and four cycles, respectively.

Example E2-1. A one-story building is idealized as a rigid girder sup-

ported by weightless columns, as shown in Fig. E2-1. In order to evaluate the
dynamic properties of this structure, a free-vibration test is made, in which the
roof system (rigid girder) is displaced laterally by a hydraulic jack and then
suddenly released. During the jacking operation, it is observed that a force of
20 kips [9, 072 kg] is required to displace the girder 0.20 in [0.508 cm]. After
the instantaneous release of this initial displacement, the maximum displace-
ment on the first return swing is only 0.16 in [0.406 cm] and the period of this
displacement cycle is T = 1.40 sec.
From these data, the following dynamic behavioral properties are deter-
mined:
 ANALYSIS OF FREE VIBRATIONS 31

Weight W = mg v
p = jacking force

c
k k
 
2 2

FIGURE E2-1
Vibration test of a simple building.

(1) Effective weight of the girder:

s
2π W
T = = 2π = 1.40 sec
ω gk

Hence
 1.40 2 20
W = g k = 0.0496 386 = 1, 920 kips [870.9 × 103 kg]
2π 0.2

where the acceleration of gravity is taken to be g = 386 in/sec2

(2) Undamped frequency of vibration:

1 1
f= = = 0.714 Hz
T 1.40

ω = 2πf = 4.48 rad/sec

(3) Damping properties:

0.20
Logarithmic decrement: δ = ln = 0.223
0.16
. δ
Damping ratio: ξ = = 3.55%
2π
2(1, 920)
Damping coefficient: c = ξ cc = ξ 2mω = 0.0355 4.48
386
= 1.584 kips · sec/in [282.9 kg · sec/cm]
p .
Damped frequency: ωD = ω 1 − ξ 2 = ω(0.999)1/2 = ω

(4) Amplitude after six cycles:

 v 6  4 6
1
v6 = v0 = (0.20) = 0.0524 in [0.1331 cm]
v0 5