ME354A: Vibration and Control

Monday 20th February, 2023

Quiz 2 Solutions
INSTRUCTIONS: Total Marks: 40
1. Draw a neat free-body diagram wherever necessary.
2. Present all the calculations step-by-step.
3. Report your answer clearly with appropriate units.
4. No formula sheets/notes/books are allowed.

Problem 1. In the figure shown below, the absolute displacement of mass m is given by x(t),
and the end Q is subjected to the harmonic motion y(t) = Y cos ωt, answer the following:
[10 Marks]

(i) What is the degree of freedom of the system?

(ii) Draw the free-body diagram of the system.
(iii) Derive the equation of the motion of the mass m.
(iv) Find the steady-state displacement of the mass m.
(v) Find the net reaction force on the wall P .

Solution 3. (i) It is a single-degree-of-freedom system.

(ii) Below figure shows the FBD of the system.

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(iii) Looking at the FBD, you can write the equation of motion for mass m:

mẍ = c2 (ẏ − ẋ) − c1 ẋ − kx

mẍ + (c1 + c2 )ẋ + kx = c2 ẏ = −c2 ωY sin ωt

(iv) Solving the above equation for x = xh + xp , we get:

xh = Aes1 t + Bes2 t
where s1,2 are the roots of the characteristic equation of homogeneous part of EOM:
ms2 + (c1 + c2 )s + k = 0
 √   √ 
−ζ+ ζ 2 −1 ωn t −ζ− ζ 2 −1 ωn t
xh = Ae + Be
√ p
where ζ = (c1 + c2 )/Cc , Cc = 2 km, ωn = k/m and A, B are constants.
Since the end Q is subjected to a harmonic motion, the particular solution is also
expected to be harmonic. We can assume the particular solution to be of the form
xp = X sin(ωt − ϕ) where X and ϕ are constants to be determined. By substituting it
into EOM, we get:

X[(k − mω 2 ) sin(ωt − ϕ) + (c1 + c2 ) cos(ωt − ϕ)] = −c2 ωY sin ωt

Using the trigonometric relations

cos(ωt − ϕ) = cos ωt cos ϕ + sin ωt sin ϕ
sin(ωt − ϕ) = sin ωt cos ϕ − cos ωt sin ϕ
in above expression and equating the coefficients of cos ωt and sin ωt on both sides of
the resulting equation, we obtain
X k − mω 2 cos ϕ + (c1 + c2 )ω sin ϕ = −c2 ωY



X k − mω 2 sin ϕ − (c1 + c2 )ω cos ϕ = 0




The solution of the above equation gives

 
−c2 ωY −1 (c1 + c2 )ω
X= 1/2 , ϕ = tan
(k − mω 2 )2 + (c1 + c2 )2 ω 2 k − mω 2

We can simplify the above expression as follows:

 
−c2 ωY /k −1 2ζr
X= 1/2 , ϕ = tan
(1 − r2 )2 + (2ζr)2 1 − r2

where r = ω/ωn and other parameters are the same as defined in xh .

Therefore,
−c2 ωY /k
xp =  1/2 sin(ωt − ϕ)
(1 − r2 )2 + (2ζr)2

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 In steady state, only xp will be there and xh would have decayed. Hence, steady state
displacement of mass m is

−c2 ωY /k
xss = xp =  1/2 sin(ωt − ϕ)
(1 − r2 )2 + (2ζr)2

(v) Again, looking at the FBD, we can say the steady state reaction force on the wall P
will be:

FR = kxp + c1 ẋp
−c2 ωY h c1 ω i
= 1/2 sin(ωt − ϕ) + cos(ωt − ϕ)
(1 − r2 )2 + (2ζr)2 k

Problem 2. Two identical pendulums swing in a plane, each with mass m and rod length
l, are connected by a spring of stiffness k, as shown below. The spring is unstretched in the
condition shown. The rods of the pendulum are rigid and massless. Further, AB = CD = l/2.
[12 Marks]

(i) Draw the free-body diagram of the pendulums.

(ii) Derive the equations of motion for small oscillations.
(iii) Find the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the system.

Solution 2. (i) The FBD of the pendulums is shown below:

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 In the above figure, Fk is the spring force that will act at an angle with respect to
the horizontal line for a large angle, but for a small angle, it can be assumed to be
horizontal and Fk = kl2 (θ2 − θ1 ).

(ii) Considering the figure above, applying AMB about A we get

l cos θ1
(l sin θ1 Ê1 − l cos θ1 Ê2 ) × −mg Ê2 − Ê2 × Fk Ê1 = ml2 θ̈1 Ê3
2
for small θ1 , we can write
Fk l
−mglθ1 Ê3 + Ê3 = ml2 θ̈1 Ê3
2
or,
kl
mlθ̈1 − (θ2 − θ1 ) + mgθ1 = 0
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Now, applying AMB about point C, we get
l cos θ2
−(l sin θ2 Ê1 + l cos θ2 Ê2 ) × mg Ê2 − Ê2 × Fk Ê1 = −ml2 θ¨2 Ê2
2
for small θ2 , we get
Fk l
mglθ2 Ê3 − Ê3 = ml2 θ¨2 Ê3
2
or,
kl
mlθ¨2 + (θ2 − θ1 ) − mgθ2 = 0
4

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(iii) The equations of motion can be written in matrix form as follows:

θ¨1 mg + kl4 − kl4

       
ml 0 θ1 0
¨ + kl kl =
0 ml θ2 −4 4
− mg θ2 0

The natural frequencies and the mode shape can be evaluated by the eigenvalue and
eigenvector of the following matrix
−1   g
mg + kl4 − kl4 k k
 
ml 0 l
+ 4m − 4m
Π= =
0 ml − kl4 kl
4
− mg k
− 4m k
4m
− gl
g k
let l
= a and 4m
= b, hence  
a + b −b
Π=
−b b − a
Its eigenvalues are

√
p
kl + 16 g 2 m2 + k 2 l2
ω12 =b+ a2 + b 2 =
4ml
and
√
p
−kl + 16 g 2 m2 + k 2 l2
ω22 = b − a2 + b2 = −
4ml
and the eigenvectors are
 ( √ kl
) (
√ kl
)
b − b
  
− √a2 +b2 −a 16 g 2 m2 +k2 l2 −4 gm
√
a2 +b2 +a 16 g 2 m2 +k2 l2 +4 gm
X1 = = and X2 = =
1 1 1 1

Problem 3. Consider the damped spring-mass-pendulum system as shown. The length of

the massless and rigid link OA is l. Gravity is acting vertically downward. All the joints
and contacts are frictionless.
[18 Marks]

(i) Draw the free-body diagram of the mass M and the pendulum.
(ii) Derive the nonlinear equations of motion, assuming x and θ not to be small.
(iii) Find the linearized equations of motion.
(iv) For the linearized system, determine the natural frequencies and the mode shapes of
the system.
(v) Employing modal analysis, determine the steady state response of the linearized system
if the system was initially at rest.
(vi) For which value of m, the M will have least amplitude?

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Solution 3. (i) The below figure shows the FBD of the system:

(ii) To derive the equations of motion using Euler-Newton’s approach, we must know the
acceleration of M and m. The velocity and acceleration of M are vO/P = ẋ Ê1 and
aO/P = ẍ Ê1 , respectively. And the velocity and acceleration of m are:

vA/P = (ẋ + θ̇l cos θ)Ê1 + θ̇l sin θÊ2

aA/P = (ẍ + θ̈l cos θ − θ̇2 l sin θ)Ê1 + (θ̈l sin θ + θ̇2 l cos θ)Ê2
Applying LMB for mass M in Ê1 direction, we get

F − cẋ − kx + T sin θ = M ẍ,

and applying LMB for mass m in Ê1 and Ê2 directions, we get

−T sin θ = m(ẍ + θ̈l cos θ − θ̇2 l sin θ),

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 and
T cos θ − mg = m(θ̈l sin θ + θ̇2 l cos θ).
From the above three equations eliminating T , we can write nonlinear equations of
motions as:
(M + m)ẍ + mθ̈l cos θ − mθ̇2 l sin θ + cẋ + kx = F
and
mθ̈l + mẍ cos θ + mg sin θ = 0

(iii) The linearized equations of motion can be written as follow:

(M + m)ẍ + mlθ̈ + cẋ + kx = F

and
mlθ̈ + mẍ + mgθ = 0.

(iv) In matrix form, the above equation can be written as

          
M + m ml ẍ c 0 ẋ k 0 x F0 sin ωt
+ + =
m ml θ̈ 0 0 θ̇ 0 mg θ 0
and the natural frequencies and the mode shape for the undamped system can be
evaluated by the eigenvalue and eigenvector of the matrix
−1 
− mg
   k 
M + m ml k 0 M M
Π= =
m ml 0 mg − Mk l (MM
+m)g
l

Its eigenvalues are

p
gM + mg + kl + M 2 g 2 + 2 M g 2 m − 2 gM kl + g 2 m2 + 2 kmgl + k 2 l2
ω12 = 1/2
lM
and
p
gM + mg + kl − M 2 g 2 + 2 M g 2 m − 2 gM kl + g 2 m2 + 2 kmgl + k 2 l2
ω22 = 1/2
lM
and the eigenvectors are
− M ωmg − M ωmg
   
2 −k 2
X1 = 1 , and X2 = 2 −k .
1 1

(v) As the matrix form of equations of motion can be written as

          
M + m ml ẍ c 0 ẋ k 0 x F0
+ + = Im(eiωt ),
m ml θ̈ 0 0 θ̇ 0 mg θ 0

where Im(z) is the imaginary part of z. Let us assume that the solution is
    
x X iωt
= Im (e ) .
θ Θ

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Substituting this in the matrix form of the EOM, we get
          
M + m ml −ω 2 X c 0 iωX k 0 X F0
+ + =
m ml −ω 2 Θ 0 0 iωΘ 0 mg Θ 0
or,     
−ω 2 (M + m) + iωc + k −mlω 2 X F0
= ,
−mω 2 −mlω 2 + mg Θ 0
and    2 −1  
X −ω (M + m) + iωc + k −mlω 2 F0
= 2 2
Θ −mω −mlω + mg 0
To find the inverse of the impedance matrix, let us first find its determinant
 2 
−ω (M + m) + iωc + k −mlω 2
det =D
−mω 2 −mlω 2 + mg

and
D = {m(ω 2 l − g)((M + m)ω 2 − k)} − i{cmω(ω 2 l − g)} = A − iB
hence,
A = m(ω 2 l − g)((M + m)ω 2 − k)
and
B = cmω(ω 2 l − g).
Hence, the amplitudes of vibration are
 
−mlω 2 + mg mlω 2
mω 2 −ω 2 (M + m) + iωc + k
   
X F0
= ,
Θ A − iB 0

hence,

−m(ω 2 l − g) −m(ω 2 l − g) iβ
 
A B
X= √ √ + i√ = √ e
A2 + B 2 A2 + B 2 A2 + B 2 A2 + B 2
and
mω 2 mω 2
 
A B
Θ= √ √ + i√ =√ eiβ .
2
A +B 2 2
A +B 2 2
A +B 2 2
A +B 2

From above we can get the response of the system as:

−m(ω 2 l − g) i(ωt+β) −m(ω 2 l − g)

 
iωt
x = Im(Xe ) = Im √ e = √ sin(ωt + β)
A2 + B 2 A2 + B 2
and
mω 2 mω 2
 
iωt
θ = Im(Θe ) = Im √ ei(ωt+β) =√ sin(ωt + β),
A2 + B 2 A2 + B 2
where β = tan−1 ( B
A
), and both masses are in same phase.

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(vi) For finding the value of m for least amplitude of M , let us differentiate the amplitude
2 l−g)
of M , X0 = −m(ω
√
A +B 2
2 and equate it to zero.
√ √
2 2
dX0 2 A2 + B 2 − m d Adm+B
= −(ω l − g) =0
dm A2 + B 2
or,
dA dB
A2 + B 2 − m(A +B )=0
dm dm
or,

−M l2 m3 ω 8 − l2 m4 ω 8 − 2 M glm3 ω 6 − 2 glm4 ω 6 + kl2 m3 ω 6 − M g 2 m3 ω 4 − g 2 m4 ω 4

+2 gklm3 ω 4 + g 2 km3 ω 2 = 0

For the above equation, the roots are

k − M ω2
m = 0, 0, 0, .
ω2
Hence the required value is
k − M ω2
m= .
ω2