MEC521: 2DOF/MDOF

Systems
Objectives
 Formulate the equations of motion of 2DOF
systems
 Identify the mass, damping and stiffness
matrices
 Compute the eigenvalues and modal vectors
 Determine the forced vibration solutions
under harmonic forces
 Definition
 Systems that requires 2 independent coordinates

 General rule

 No of DOF = No masses x no of possible motion

Figure 4.1
(a) A simple two-degree-of-freedom model consisting of two masses
connected in series by two springs.
(b) A single mass with two degrees of freedom (i.e., the mass moves
along both the x1 and x2 directions).
(c) A single mass with one translational degree of freedom and one
rotational degree of freedom
Figure 4.2 Free-body diagrams of each mass in the
system of Figure 4.1(a), indicating the restoring force
provided by the springs.
Lagrange’s equation

Lagrange’s equation follow-on to the energy method for deriving

equations of motion the Lagrange formulation can be used to
model multiple-degree-of-freedom systems as an alternative to
using Newton’s law (summing forces and moments) for those cases
where the free-body diagram is not as obvious. Lagrange formulation
requires identification of the energy in the system, rather than the
identification of forces and moments acting on the system, and
requires the use of generalized coordinates.

The Lagrange formulation follows from variational principles and states

that the equations of motion of a vibrating system can be derived from

where 𝑞ሶ = 𝜕𝑞𝑖 /𝜕𝑡 is the generalized velocity, T is the kinetic energy of the
system, U is the potential energy of the system, and Qi represents all the
nonconservative forces corresponding to qi. Here 𝜕/𝜕𝑞𝑖 denotes the partial
derivative with respect to the coordinate qi.
 Figure 4.3 A vibration model of a simple machine part. The
quantity M(t) denotes an applied moment. The disk rotates
without translation.

Derive the equations of motion of the system of Figure 4.3

using the Lagrange equation.
Example:
A two-degree-of-freedom model is used for a vehicle that allows for bounce
and pitch motion. This model can be determined from the schematic of Figure 4.4
Determine the equations of motion, solve them by modal analysis, and determine the
response to the engine being shut off, which is modelled as an impulse moment applied
to θ (t) of 103 Nm.
Example:
Two masses m1 and m2 each connected by two springs of stiffness k,
are connected by a rigid massless horizontal rod of length l as shown in
Fig.
(a) Derive the equations of motion of the system in terms of the
vertical displacement of the C.G. of the system, x(t), and the
rotation about the C.G. of the system, (t)
(b) Find the natural frequencies of vibration of the system for m1 =50
kg, m2 =200 kg and k = 1000 N/m. Assume l =1 m.
Example:
A slightly more sophisticated model of a vehicle suspension system is given
in Figure 4.5. Write the equations of motion in matrix form. Calculate the
natural frequencies for k1 = 103 N/m, k2 = 104 N/m, m2 = 50 kg, and m1 =
2000 kg.

Figure 4.5 A two-degree of- freedom model of a vehicle

suspension system.
Equations of Motion for Forced Vibration
Free Undamped Vibration

Assumed solutions
First response equation

2nd response equation

2
 3

*Find value of Ø1 and Ø2 first

Calculate the solutions for ω of the characteristic equation given by
system in Figure 2 for the case that the physical parameters have the
values m1 = 9 kg, m2 = 1 kg, k1 = 24 N/m, and k2 = 3 N/m.
Calculate the solution of the system for the initial conditions x1(0) = 1 mm,
x2(0) = 0, and 𝑥ሶ 1(0) = 0 , 𝑥ሶ 2(0) = 0.