CIV6120

The University of Sheffield

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Autumn Semester ------------------- 2 Hours

2000-01

STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

Answer THREE questions in total. If more than

three questions are answered the mark recorded
will be the aggregate of the best three answers. All
questions have the same aggregate mark.

CIV6120 1 TURN OVER

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Q1 a) State what is meant by the terms mode, frequency of vibration, and resonance. Use
sketches where possible to illustrate your answers.
(6 marks)
b) Verify, using Rayleigh’s method of analysis, that the undamped natural circular
frequency for the linear elastic vibration of a single degree of freedom model is
k
ωn =
m
where m and k are the equivalent mass and stiffness respectively.
(14 marks)

c) A simply supported beam of equivalent mass m=2500kg and EI= 35,000kNm2 deflects at
5 Wl 3
mid span by y = under a uniformly distributed load of total magnitude WkN.
384 EI
i) Calculate the natural circular frequency ω n and period Tn if the span l=8m
(5 marks)
ii) If an excitation frequency of 4Hz is applied to the beam find the span at
which resonance would occur if the equivalent mass is unchanged.
(6 marks)
iii) Sketch the first three modes of vibration for the beam.
(3marks)

Q2 a) i) Use a vector of length A rotating about a fixed point with a circular

frequency ω n = 25.4 rads/sec to plot the deflection y against time t at the
mid-span of an undamped simply supported beam vibrating in its first
mode at this frequency. On the plot, show the times in seconds when the
beam reaches its equilibrium position, maximum upward deflection,
maximum downward deflection, and the period. Calculate the natural
frequency in Hertz and the times at which the beam at mid-span reaches
its maximum velocity and acceleration. Briefly, explain why the
characteristics of vibration are of practical concern in design.
(16 marks)
ii) Plot the velocity-time curve at mid-span for the undamped vibrating beam
in part i) and verify that the phase angle φ between the deflection and the
velocity of the beam is π .
2
(8 marks)
b) i) Show graphically how damping would change the deflection–time plot of
free vibration for the beam in part a) i).
(3 marks)
ii) A vibrating beam has the peak deflection yp in each cycle of vibration as
shown in figure Q2 b. What conclusion can be drawn about the
vibration?

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Find the damping factor ξ if the damped period of vibration for the beam
2π
is Td =
ωn 1−ξ 2
(4 marks)

iii) Describe the effect on vibration if the beam is over-damped, under-

damped or critically damped.
(3 marks)

Ln yp

0 1 8 cycles

Fig Q2 b

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Q3 A pre-cast concrete pile lightly reinforced and made from C25 concrete is to be driven into a very
soft clay by a steel pile-driving hammer. The pile is initially at rest, and is impacted axially by the
hammer travelling at 1m/s vertically downwards (Fig Q3). You should assume that both the top
face of the pile and the bottom face of the hammer are perfectly flat and that the whole face of the
hammer strikes the pile co-axially, making contact with the whole face of the pile
instantaneously. The material properties of the pile and hammer are given below.

Steel Hammer Concrete Pile

ρ)
Density (ρ 8000 kg/m3 2500 kg/m3
Elastic Modulus (E) 200 kN/mm² 25.6 kN/mm² *
Cross-Sectional Area (A) 0.2 m² 0.5 m²
* You may assume that the concrete is linearly elastic.

a) By considering compatibility of forces and particle velocities, show that the interface
between the pile and the hammer has a velocity of 0.666…m/s vertically downwards
immediately after the impact.
(14 marks)

b) Sketch a graph showing the variation with time of the axial stress at the mid-point of the
pile for the first 2500 µs after the impact.
(14 marks)

c) Discuss any damage which you think the pile may sustain due to the propagation of the
stress pulse produced by the impact. (Assume that the acoustic impedance of the clay is
approximately zero).
(6 marks)
Steel pile-driving hammer
2m
1 m/s

Pre-cast concrete pile

10 m

Very soft clay

Fig. Q3

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Q4 a) Explain what is required for an earthquake to take place and identify the various sources
of seismic action.
(8 marks)
b) Which earthquake is likely to cause more damage, one with magnitude Ms = 6.0 or one
with intensity MMI = 10?
(4 marks)
c) The number of earthquakes, N, greater than magnitude, Ms, occurring annually within a
given area is shown by the line in Figure Q4a.
i) Determine the value of N for an earthquake of magnitude Ms of 6.0.
(5 marks)
ii) Calculate the probability of exceedance, q, for a multi-storey building of
design life of 50 years.
(3 marks)
d) Describe how the dynamic characteristics of a structure are taken into account in seismic
resistant design.
(6 marks)
e) By making use of sketches, illustrate four conceptual design errors that can lead to
disasters in earthquakes and explain briefly how these can be avoided.
(8 marks)

log N
10

5.0

0
0 Ms
4.5
Magnitude - Frequency Relationship

Fig Q4a

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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