26.10.

2023 12:39 Basics of Vibration Resonance - Free Online Lesson - VRU

Basics of Vibration Resonance

BACK TO: Resonance in Product Development

To understand the phenomenon of resonance,

let us look at a basic mechanical system where a
mass is attached to a base by a spring. The
spring moves solely in one linear axis, meaning
it has a single degree of freedom (DOF) [1].

Although not entirely realistic, most real-life

systems behave similarly to a single DOF mass-
spring system. We can use it as a foundation for
more complex systems.

Figure 1. SDOF system.

Figure 1 is an SDOF mass-spring system where
m is mass, k is stiffness, c is a damping constant,
and x is displacement.

System Resonance

Resonance occurs when a force acts on a system at the same

frequency as the system’s natural frequency. When this happens,
a system is subjected to large displacements causing significant
stresses that lead to damaging results. Test engineers spend time
identifying resonances because they are often the root cause of
failure due to fatigue.

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Every component of a mechanical system has a natural, or

resonant, frequency. A single DOF mass-spring system has one,
while complex systems often have several in the x, y, and z axes.

Adjusting System Properties

A system’s resonant frequency depends on its stiffness, mass, and

damping.

Stiffness: resistance to deformation determined by material

properties and system geometry
Mass: physical property of a system
Damping: energy loss in system movement due to resistive
forces

By adjusting these properties, an engineer can avoid system

damage and its associated time, cost, and safety implications.
Which of these properties they alter to mitigate the effects of
resonance depends on the driving frequency of the force. We will
discuss how to address resonance later in this course.

External Force

Forced vibration generally fits into the category of a base, external,

or rotational excitation [2].

Base: a fixed base of a system vibrates, causing the mass to

vibrate
External: a time-varying force acts upon a system
Rotational: a component rotates at an angular velocity,
causing the mass to vibrate

The simplest excitations are pure harmonic, meaning they can be

represented by a single sine or cosine function. A force can also

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comprise multiple frequency components in the form of random

vibration or a transient shock.

System Response

Following initial excitation, a mechanical system’s vibration can be

free or forced, meaning it can vibrate free from further excitation
or there is continuing excitation. Typically, a mechanical system
experiences some type of continuous force, such as the harmonic
vibration of a rotating motor.

DAMPING

Following excitation, a system will try to return to equilibrium.

Damping determines how quickly the system reaches this state.

For a harmonic excitation of a single DOF mass-spring system

with no damping, the external force applied to the system can be
defined by Equation 1…

…where F0 is the magnitude of the applied force and ω is the

driving frequency.

No real-life system is undamped because there is always some

resistive force, such as drag or friction, causing energy loss within
the system. Over time, forced, damped systems reach a harmonic,
steady-state vibration.

Additional Considerations

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DEGREES OF FREEDOM

As mentioned earlier, real-world mechanical systems are typically

more complex than a single DOF mass-spring system. When
operational, most systems experience vibration in multiple
degrees of freedom—almost always simultaneously.

Most vibration tests are single DOF systems, where a single-axis

shaker applies external excitation to the product in the vertical
direction or on a horizontal slip-table. Engineers rotate and re-
mount the product to test it in the x, y, and z axes sequentially. To
better simulate real-world field conditions would require a triaxial
shaker or 6 DOF shaker, which are expensive and not standard in
many industries. You can read more about single-axis testing
versus multi-axis testing in the Multi-shaker Control course.

A single-axis shaker (left) and a triaxial shaker (right).

Non-linear Systems

Ideally, the movement of a mass on a spring is directly

proportional to the force that the spring exerts. This 1-to-1
relationship represents a linear system. The output response of a
linear system is directly proportional to the input force. If you

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apply multiple forces to the system simultaneously, its response

will be the sum of the individual responses to each.

However, this ideal scenario does not perfectly translate to the real
world. A system’s natural frequency determines its response,
which depends on the mass and stiffness of the spring. Various
other factors can affect the system’s linearity, including damping,
non-linear characteristics of the spring, and external disturbances.

Most manufacturers design vibration-testing shaker machines to

be linear or operate within a linear range. Electrodynamic shakers
typically have linear characteristics, and engineers assume
linearity when running them. However, engineers must consider
that real-world systems have practical limitations and non-
idealities that may introduce non-linear behavior.

MARK COMPLETE AND GO TO NEXT LESSON

Back to Course Next Lesson

Resonance in Product Experimental Approaches to
Development Structural Resonance Testing

REFERENCES

[1] Blake, Ralph E. “Chapter 2. Basic Vibration Theory.” In Harris’

Shock and Vibration Handbook, 5th ed, edited by Cyril M. Harris
and Allan G. Piersol. McGraw-Hill, 2002.

[2] School of Engineering at Brown University. “5.4 Forced

vibration of damped, single degree of freedom, linear spring mass

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systems.” Accessed May 15, 2023.

https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Engineering/Courses/En4/Notes/v

[3] Rao, Singiresu S., Mechanical Vibrations, 5th ed. Upper Saddle
River: Prentice Hall, 2011.

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