[ 801 ]

L X X I I I . Forced Vibrations with combined Viscous and

Coulomb Damping. B y J. 1). DEN HARTOG*.
I. Introduction.
H E free vibrations of a single degree of freedom system
T affected by a constant friction force are determined by
the pair of equations :
m~ + kx +__F0 = 0,
of which the solution for any initial condition is well known.
When, moreover, a sinusoidal disturbing force is acting on
the mass, a steady periodic non-harmonic motion will be set
up after a sufficient length of time.
I t is evident that in case the friction force is small with
respect to the disturbing force amplitude, the ensuing motion
will be continuous, while for large values of the friction force
a single cycle of the motion may consist of regions of motion
Fig. 1.

and regions of standstill. In this paper an analytical solu-

tion has been obtained for motions without standstill, i. e. for
sufficiently small damping t. It is found that this solution
is valid for such values of the friction and the frequency as
are ordinarily met in engineering applications.

I I . Only Coulomb -Damping.

The differential equation (of fig. 1) is
m +kx+F0= V0cos( ,t+¢), . . (1)
where the upper ( + ) sign holds for upward motions (2 > 0)
and the lower (--) sign for 2 < 0. The quantity ~b is a
parameter as yet devoid of meaning. Introducing the
notations :
Folk = .zy, Polio= a, k/m = con~,
* Communicated by R. V. Southwell, F.R.S.
~" An approximate solution, based oil a graphical method for values
o)/on< 1"1, including both motions with and without stops, is described
by W. Eckolt, Zt. f. tec]m. Physik, vii. p. 226 (1926).
PM1. Mat. S. 7. Vol. 9. No. 59. Suppl. 3Iay 1930. 3 G
802 Mr. J. P. D. Hartog on f f o r c e d V i b r a t w n s
the equation for ;/:<0 can be written as
~'~+ fo,,~(~--'V) = afo,,"cos (fot + 4). (2)
In order to obtain a periodic solution for the motion, the
following boundary conditions are imposed :--
t = O, ,~ = Xo, ~ -----O, /
t =7r/fo, x=--x0, ~----0. I (3)
The motion thus defined for the downward half cycle between
the maxima +x0 and --x 0 has to be completed by an upward
motion which is identical with the previous half except for
a negative sign. This describes a motion which has the
same period as the impressed force and therefore can be
called a.forced vibration. It is seen from (2) and (3) tha~
~b represents the " phase-angle" by which the tbrce l e a d s
the motion. Since the motion is non-harmonic, it is clear
~hat this "phase-anglo" applies only to the m a x i m a of force
and motion, and that in general the phase between the zeros
of force and motion will be different from ¢.
The general solution of (2) is
fo~2
x = Clsinfo~t+C~cosfo,,t+ ~ a c o s ( f o t + ~ b ) + x f . (4)
fort ~ fo

The four conditions (3) can be satisfied by assigning certain

wdues to CI, C~, zo, and ~b. Eliminating C1 and C~ from
(4) by means of the two first conditions (3), leads to
x ---- . % c o s ~ , t + x f ( 1 - - c o s f o ~ t )

at3 ~
Ices {oos fot-co fo, t}

+ sin ~b { sine°~t/.~ sin fot } ] , (4a)

where Z = to,,]~.
Substitution of the last two conditions in this gives two
equations :
A c o s ¢ + B s i n ~ b + C = 0,
P c o s q ~ + Q s i n ~ + R = 0, I . . . . (5)
where
A =--a. +cos

B=+a /!~ .sin flvr,

g~--i
 with combined Viscous and Coulomb .Damping. 803

P ----+ a c o , , ~B_~~ .sinB:,',

Q = + a~,.~_l(l+cos,8~),

C = +.VoO + cosZ~') + xr(1- cos ~ - ) ,

R = (x --ov0)w,,sinf~r.
From (5) we get
BR--CQ sin~b = C F - - A R
cos~b = A Q - P B ; AQ--FB'

or, after substitution of the values for A etc.,

cos4~- xo f ~ ' - l , '

a ~ ,! (6)
xs ~ - - 1 BsinBv
sin
a" B' "i+cosfi~r"
Eliminating 4) and solving for the amplitude xo, we have

/~ ' .{ tgsin/.97r ]2

Introducing the notations :

V = ¢~ = ~o,? "response function,

" "
/~z--i fio,,~--o) ~ -- .

2 sin 87r --
U = 1 + cos f~rr "damping function,"

the results (6) and (7) can be written as

xf U Xo 1 (6 a)
sin~b=--a'V; cos(/)=+ a'V'

Xo = a
J V 2- U 2. . . . . . (7 a)

I t is seen that the amplitude xo is not proportional to the

impressed force Po(=ak). The influence of the damping
appears in the formula as the ratio of the fi'iction force to
the impressed force : xf/a = F0/Po.
3G2
804 Mr. J. P. D. Hartog on _Forced Vibrations
III. Validity of Solution.
This solution is valid only when ~ ~ 0 during the interval
0 < t < ~r]w. Substituting (6a) and (7a) into (4a), and
differentiating, the condition can be transformed to

P3. ~ o

---- ~ " ' ' - ~ / -~ "~

i,o

, ..---,v./x

'~0 ~> 82 F.~ sin/~ot-[- U (cos o)t--cos ~(~t)l

(8)
xf-- [. ~ 2 s i n wt J "
for 0 < t < ~/o,

or xO > ~ . S,
xf-
 with combined Viscous and Coulomb .Damping. 805
where S denotes the maximum value of the bracket during
that time-interval. For t=O the bracket is equal to unity,
and numerical calculations have shown that in quite many
cases this is also the maximum value. From (7) and (8) we
deduce
x0 > ~ / / 1 V~
a - + (U/SB2)~ . . . . . (9)
and
xf < V / v2 (i0)
a - (S~) ~+ U ~. . . . . .

Fig. 3.

.6

.4

7 6 5 4 3 2 I

Damping determining boundary of non-stop motion.

Fig. 2 shows a graphical representation of these results.

The dotted line is the boundary (equation (9)), below which
only motions with stops occur. It is seen that for frictions
xf/a<Tr]4 the amplitude at resonance becomes infinitely
large.
The relation (10) is represented by fig. 3, so thai for
frictions below this line the solutions (6) and (7) are valid
and motions without stops can exist, while for higher
frictions this is not the case. Comparing fig. 3 with the
dotted boundary of fig. 2, it is seen that for even integer
values of ~(----eo~#o) the amplitude of the motion (and the
phase-angle) are independent of the amount of friction up to
the limit set by fig. 3. ])'or odd integer values of /3 the
 806 Mr. J. P. D. Hartog on Forced Vibrations
smalles~ friction will cause stops in the motion and a con-
siderable decrease in the amplitude. It might be said that
for odd/~ the friction is "infinitely efficient" in reducing
the amp]it~lde, while for even ~ it is "infinitely inefficient."
Fig. 4 gives the results (6 a) for the phase-angle, showing
the peculiarity of jumps in the angle at resonance for any
friction up to xj/a--~r/4.

F i g . 4.

.!
1160° .2

g..
120

I00
Z t 8 6 4 2 f ~ 8 .6 A 2
80 "'- 4"
60

40

2o
f .2

l%ase-angle diagram with pure Coulombdamping.

IV. Combined Viscous and Coulomb Damping.

The analysis for this case is quite analogous to the previous
one. The differential equations are
m'2+kx+cd¢± F0 = P0cos (rot + ~b), (11)
or for the downward stroke only,

~+o,~;(x-~t)+ ~, ~ = a,o.:eos(~t+¢).. (11a)

with the boundary conditions (3).
 with combined Viscous anal Coulomb Dampinq. 807
Using the abbreviations :

]9 = /~/
/-
o)n . . . . .~. tOt~
/; (o; -- _ ,
4,,t 2 k c'c

q ---- + -
where
e, = critical damping = 2mo~,,
the general solution of ( l l a ) can be written
ct
x = e 2"~[C~c o s p t + C ~ s i n p t ] + asin(o~t + e ) + x / ,
t/
(12)
with
c~ 2V c (12 (~)
tan (4-¢) = k-mo)~ - # "el" " "

Now CI, Cz, xo, and ~b ale determined so as to satisfy the

four conditions ( 3 ) i n exactly the same manner as before,
though the calculation becomes rather involved.
The result can be conveniently presented in tha following
form : - -

-~ ~ ,"

sine = - - q g - - ; cose = q +G. ,. (14)

the first of which gives the amplitude directly, while the

second, in conjunction with (12a), allows of an easy
numerical calculation of the phase-angle ~b.
In these expressions G and t t are functions of the viscous
damping c/c~ and of the frequency ~ :
C/Co
sinh (/37r e/c~) -- - / i_[c/co) ~ . sin B~" v/1 -- (c/c~) ~ |
G_~.
cosh (~v c/co) +cos f~Tr*/1-- (c/c~) ~
I~.
sin ~- ~/1- (~/,~o)~__ [
V i - - (c/ce) ~" cosh (fl~" c/cc) + cos fl~" J 1-- (c/c,) ~ .J
(15)
I t is seen that in the absence of Coulomb damping, (13)
reduces to Xo/a=l/q, which is the well&hewn result for
viscous damping only. Likewise in this case the auxiliary
 808 Mr. J. P. D. :Hartog on _Forced Vibrations
angle e becomes zero, so that the pbase (12 a) coincides with
the well-established theory.

Fig. 5.

.5

• , ~
05 ' 1.0 1.5 ~ 2

Graph of the G function.

It is of interest to note that for c/cc=O the G function is

zero for all values of •, except B = I , where G tends to
infinity. The H function reduces to ¥ ~or c]cc=O. Since
these two functions play an important role in the numerical
 with combined Viscous and Coulomb Damping. 809
calculations, they are shown in figs. 5 and 6 for various
values of c/cc.
Fiff. 6.

~
it
~o

f \
T
2

0 A I 1.5 2

-I
.Sl
-2

-3

Graph of the H function.

The numerical results cf the amplitudes of vibration for

six values Iof c/cc are represented in figs. 7 to 12. The
condition of validity of the solution~ ~. < O, becomes
810 Mr. J . P. D. Hartog on _hbrced Vibrations
etl

xf sin---~t" + 1 + G) sin pt

+H(2--~msinpt--cospt)} + H c o t g o~t-- G

for 0 < t < ~'/~ . . . . . . . (16)

Fig. 7.

I0

0 ~ xf/a
8 ~ = .05

///A\\\.

Amplitudes with mixed damping.

For t ~ 0 this expression reduces to

~o > -G+2R2c/co+~(I+G), (17)

xf
which quite often is also tile maximum value of (16). In
fact, for any /~<2 tliis is the case. Let $l denote the rati(~
 ~Z i / /
'~"~I/ ~

-/l °

:,17i / II
 812 Mr. J. P. D. Har~og on Forced Variations

Fig. 10.
L6

1.6 /
Ii.4
"-~= .3

,oI ~ .

.6

1.4

6 ) J621n -~
L5. .6 8 1.0 ,I.2 1.4 1.8 2

Fig. 11.

--~C= .4

%%
81

.2

~/~.~-.-
.6 B 1.0 t.2 L4 1.6 I.~ 2
 with combined Viscous and Coulomb Damping. 813
of the maximum of (16) and (17), which is equal to unity
for/3<2. Then we have
X0 > S 1(I-- G)
a - q ,/H"+{SII+(1--S])G}"'
a'~ < 1
a - q ~ / H ~ + { S~I + ( 1 - S d G} ~'

Fig. 12.

1.2

" • c= .5
1.0

.6

1.4

.2

.5 6 ,o =/=~, 2" 1.4 1.6 1.8 2

where
I = 2H/3c/cc+/3:(1+ G).
With these formulae the dotted lines in figs. 7-12 have beon
calculated.
The phase-angle diagram for c/cc='l is given in fig. 13.
Since the amplitudes at resonance are finite, no discontinuity
in the angle occurs. I~ is noted that the angle at resonance
is quite near to 90 °, while for other frequencies ihe phase-
angle differs considerably from that of a motion with viscous
damping o n l y . The greatest difference occurs at /3=0 or
co~----0, which is of importance for engineering applications
(Lanchester torsional vibration damper).
814 Mr. J. P. D. Hartog on Forced Variations
:Due to the fact that $ ~ 90 ° at resonance, the amplitude
at that point for combined damping can be calculated with a
fair approximation from an energy consideration. Assuming
the motion sinusoidal, the work input per cycle by tile force
P0 sin cot is
7T POA' 0 ,

The friction force is Fo + c,c0~ sin a~ and its work absorption

per cycle is

o~ (Fo + cxoo~sin ~t). vdt = 4F0Xo+ CWXo2~r.

Fig. 13.
• , i |

160
~ ~

12.0

I00

4o ~ I
20 j

Phase-angles with mixed damping.

Equating the two, we get

•
Po F1 4 Fol . . . . . (17)

The difference of this expression with the exact solution

naturally increases with the amount of damping of either
kind: for c/cc='5 and x / / a = ' 4 it is only 3 per cent. The
degree of approximation can be visualized from the fact that
for ~ = 1 , G is large and H small, so that (13)reduces to
 wlth eomb6~ed Viscous and Coulomb Damping. 815

-1--G(X~'~. ~loreover, at resonance both 1/q and G

q
are
nearly proportional to c/co.
At frequencies other than resonance no simple rule for
the amplitude can be given ; then recourse has to be taken
to figs. 7 to 12.

V. Other Problems to whiclt the Solution applies.

1. I f in fig. 1 no external force be acting on the mass, but
the upper end of the spring be moved a0cos (cot+C), it can
be verified that the above solution holds for the absolute
motion of the mass, when only a be replaced by a o.
2. If in fig. 1 the rubbing wall be tied to the upper end
of the spring and this end with the wall be subjected to the

Fig. 14.
._.~.i~c°s ( ~ + ~)
_~ X!
k ~

motion ao cos (~ot+ ~b), the above solution holds for the rela-
tive motion between mass and wall, if only a be replaced by
ao/~2.
3. :Fig. 14 represents a two-mass system with relative
damping and a force 131cos (eot+~b) acting on the mass M.
It can be shown thai all previous results apply to the relative
motion x--xl---y, if only m be replaced by m M / ( m + M ) and
Po by 131.m](M + m). The absolute motions of m and M can
be found to be
M P1
,~ - ~ I + ~ ~ - o,~(M+,,0cos ( o , t + ~ ) ,
>. (18)
m 13~ I
"~'= - ~ - 7 ~ v - ~ ( M + ' 0 cos (~ot+ ¢). )
4. It is evident that all the above problems have torsional
equivalents when masses are replaced by moments of inertia,
displacements by angles, etc.
816 Variations with Viscous and Coulomb Damping.
5. An electrical problem leading to the same differential
equation is shown in fig. 15. The four rectifiers keep the
constant battery voltage always directed against the current.
The previous results hold if the velocity ~ be replaced by the

Fig. 15.

Ec

current i, the mass m by the inductance L, the spring con-

stant k by the inverse capacity 1/C, the viscous friction c
by the resistance R, the constant friction F0 by the battery
voltage Ec, and the force amplitude Po by the voltage
amplitude E0.

VI. Systems with manj Degrees of Freedom.

The method outlined above is not restricted to systems
with a single degree of freedom, but can be successfully
applied to problems of greater complication. As an example

Fig'. 16.

- krc~M ~x2

let us consider fig. 16. Two simultaneous differential equa-

tions can be written down, conveniently in the variables x~
and xl--x2=x~. When only one-half stroke of the motion
is considered, there will be no ambiguity in the sign of the
Coulomb damping term. As before, a parameter ~bis written
 The Psychop]~usical Law. 817
in the expression for the disturbing force. Since the dif-
ferential equations are linear and of the second order, their
solution ca,, be written down involving four constants. :Let
the initial conditions be
t=O ; x~-=Xlo; ~l----~le ; x~=Xm~. ; , ~ = 0 .
With these conditions the integration constants can be
eliminated, and the solution appears as a function of fern"
parameters--xi0, ~:10, x ..... and ~b--which can be determined
by four conditions at t-=v/to, namely
'Vl= --3:10, ~1--'----Xl0, Xr---- --,Vm~x., and ;~=().
The solution thus obtained is valid only i~
.v~<O for 0 < t < ~ r / ~ o .
In a similar manner the steady-state solutions for systems o~
any number of degrees of freedom involving both viscous
and Coulomb damping can be determined.

Acknowledgement.
The author's thanks are due to the University of Pittsburgh
for permission to publish this work, which represents an
abstract of a doctor's dissertation.
Ileseareh Laboratories,
Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co.,
East Pittsburgh, Penn.

L X X I V . The Psyehophysical Law.--I. The Sense of Vision.

By P. A. M,~CDOZeAr~O, M.Sc., Hudson Bay Fellow, and
JoHN F. ALLEN, B.A., Research Assistant, Department of
Physics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada **
T has long been k n o w n t h a t the physical intensity of a
I sensory stimulus m a y be increased b y an a m o u n t so
small t h a t the i n c r e m e n t does not cause a corresponding
increase in the sensation evoked b y the stimulus. De-
noting the physical i n t e n s i t y of the stimulus b y I, and the
small increment b y 8I, experiment has shown t h a t 8I m a y
be increased to a critical value such t h a t a just perceptible
increase in the sensation results. This value of 8I is
* Communic'~ted by Prof. Frank Allem
Phil. ~l[ag. S. 7. Vol, 9. No. 59. S~tppl. May 1030. 3 g