Chapter Five

Vibration Analysis

Vibration Analysis

Chapter Overview

In this chapter, performing free vibration analyses in

Simulation will be covered. In Simulation, performing a free
vibration analysis is similar to a linear static analysis.
It is assumed that the user has already covered Chapter 4
Linear Static Structural Analysis prior to this section.

The following will be covered:

Free Vibration Analysis Procedure
Free Vibration with Pre-Stress Analysis Procedure

The capabilities described in this section are generally

applicable to ANSYS DesignSpace Entra licenses and above.
Some options discussed in this chapter may require more
advanced licenses, but these are noted accordingly.
Harmonic and nonlinear static structural analyses are not
discussed here but in their respective chapters.

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Vibration Analysis

Basics of Free Vibration Analysis

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K M 0
2
i

This results in certain assumptions related to the analysis:

[K] and [M] are constant:
Linear elastic material behavior is assumed
Small deflection theory is used, and no nonlinearities included
[C] is not present, so damping is not included
{F} is not present, so no excitation of the structure is assumed
The structure can be unconstrained (rigid-body modes present) or
partially/fully constrained, depending on the physical structure

Mode shapes {} are relative values, not absolute

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For a free vibration analysis, the natural circular frequencies i

and mode shapes i are calculated from:

It is important to remember these assumptions related to

performing free vibration analyses in Simulation.

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Vibration Analysis

A. Free Vibration Analysis Procedure

The free vibration analysis procedure is very similar to

performing a linear static analysis, so not all steps will be
covered in detail. The steps in yellow italics are specific to
free vibration analyses.
Attach Geometry
Assign Material Properties
Define Contact Regions (if applicable)
Define Mesh Controls (optional)
Include Supports (if applicable)
Request Frequency Finder Results
Set Frequency Finder Options
Solve the Model
Review Results

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Vibration Analysis

Geometry and Point Mass

Similar to linear static analyses, any type of geometry
supported by Simulation may be used:
Solid bodies
Surface bodies (with appropriate thickness defined)
Line bodies (with appropriate cross-sections defined)

For line bodies, only mode shapes and displacement results are
available.

The Point Mass feature can be used:

Input for the Point Mass was described earlier in Chapter 4.
The Point Mass adds mass only in a free vibration analysis. It is
connected to selected surfaces as if no stiffness is present, so the
effect is to add only mass (not stiffness) to a structure.
Useful for including the effect of distributed weight on selected
surfaces. Because of this, the Point Mass will decrease the natural
frequency in free vibration analyses.

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Vibration Analysis

Material Properties

For material properties, Youngs Modulus, Poissons Ratio,

and Mass Density are required
Since no loading is assumed, no other material properties will
be used, if defined

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Vibration Analysis

Contact Regions
Contact regions are available in free vibration analyses.
However, since this is a purely linear analysis, contact
behavior will differ for the nonlinear contact types:
Contact Type
Bonded
No Separation
Rough
Frictionless

Static Analysis
Bonded
No Separation
Rough
Frictionless

Initially Touching
Bonded
No Separation
Bonded
No Separation

Modal Analysis
Inside Pinball Region
Bonded
No Separation
Free
Free

Outside Pinball Region

Free
Free
Free
Free

There are two important things to remember when using

contact in a free vibration analysis:
The two nonlinear contact behaviors rough and frictionless
will behave in a linear fashion, so they will internally behave as
bonded or no separation instead.
If a gap is present, the nonlinear contact behaviors will be free
(i.e., as if no contact is present). Bonded and no separation
contact will depend on the pinball region size.

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The pinball region is automatically determined by default

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Vibration Analysis

Contact Regions

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For rough and frictionless contact, the Interface Treatment can be

changed to Adjusted to Touch, which will make the contact
surfaces behave as bonded and no separation, respectively. (Even
if a gap is present, the parts will behave as if they are initially
touching if this option is set.)
The size of the Pinball Region may be changed as well as viewed
to ensure that bonded and no separation contact is established,
even if a gap is present.
Please refer to Chapters 3 and 4 for discussions on the pinball region and
how to define its size

For ANSYS Structural licenses and above, frictional contact will

behave similar to bonded contact if surfaces are touching but
act as free (no contact) if contact is open.
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For ANSYS Professional licenses and above, additional contact

options can be used in free vibration analyses:

It is not recommended to use frictional contact in a free vibration

analysis since it is nonlinear.

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Vibration Analysis

Loads and Supports

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See Section B later in this chapter for a discussion on free

vibration with pre-stress analysis. In this situation, loads are
considered but only for their pre-stress effects.

Supports can be used in free vibration analyses:

If no or partial supports are present, rigid-body modes can be
detected and evaluated. These modes will be at 0 or near 0 Hz.
Unlike static structural analyses, free vibration analyses do not
require that rigid-body motion be prevented.
The boundary conditions are important, as they affect the mode
shapes and frequencies of the part. Carefully consider how the
model is constrained.
The compression only support is a nonlinear support and should
not be used in the analysis.
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Structural and thermal loads not used in free vibration

If present, the compression only support will generally behave

similar to a frictionless support.

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Vibration Analysis

Requesting Results

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The Frequency Finder tool adds another branch to

the Solutions branch
The Details View of the Frequency Finder allows the
user to specify the Max Modes to Find. The default
is 6 modes (max is 200). Increasing the number of
modes to retrieve will increase the solution time.
The search may be limited to a specific frequency
range of interest by selecting Yes on Limit Search
to Range.
By default, frequencies beginning from 0 Hz
(rigid-body modes) will be calculated if a search
range is not set.
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The minimum and

maximum range (in Hz)
can be specified if Limit
Search to Range is
enabled. Note that this
works in conjunction
with Max Modes to
Find. If not enough
modes are requested, not
all modes in the
frequency range may be
found.

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Most of the options for free vibration analyses are

similar to that of static analysis. However,
Simulation knows to perform a free vibration
analysis when the Frequency Finder tool is
selected under the Solutions Branch

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Vibration Analysis

Requesting Results
Under the Frequency Finder branch are
the requests requested
When toggling Max Modes to Find under
the Frequency Finder branch, more mode
shapes will automatically be added. The
user does not need to request mode
shapes from the Context toolbar.
If stress, strain, or directional
displacements are to be requested, this
can be done by adding the result from the
Context toolbar.
For each stress, strain, or displacement
result added, the user can specify which
mode this corresponds to from the Details
view, under Mode.
If relative stress or strain results are needed,

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be sure to add results under the Frequency

Finder branch, not the Solution branch.
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Recall that mode shapes are relative values

since no excitation is present. Hence,
stresses and strains are also relative.

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Vibration Analysis

Solution Options

The solution branch provides details on the type of analysis

being performed
For a free vibration analysis, none of the options in the Details
view of the Solution branch usually need to be changed.
In the majority of cases, Solver Type should be left on the default
option of Program Controlled.
If the model is a very large one of solid elements, and only a few
modes are to be requested, the Solver Type, when changed to
Iterative, may be more efficient.

The Analysis Type will display

Free Vibration.

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Vibration Analysis

Solving the Model

After setting up the model, one can solve the free vibration
analysis just like any other analysis by selecting the Solve
button.
A free vibration analysis is generally more computationally
expensive than a static analysis on the same model because
of the equations solved.
If a Solution Information branch
is requested under the Solution
branch, detailed solution output,
including the amount of memory
used and solution progress, will
be available in the Worksheet tab.
If stress or strain results or more
frequencies/modes are requested
after a solution is performed, a new
solution is required.

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Vibration Analysis

Reviewing Results
After solution, mode shapes can be reviewed

Because there is no excitation applied to the structure, the

mode shapes are relative values associated with free vibration
Mode shapes (displacements), stresses, and strains represent
relative, not absolute quantities

The frequency is listed in the

Details view of any result
being viewed.
The animation button on the
Results Context toolbar can be
used to help visualize the mode
shapes better.

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Vibration Analysis

Reviewing Results
The Worksheet tab of the Frequency Finder branch
summarizes all frequencies in tabular form

By reviewing the frequencies and mode shapes, one can get

a better understanding of the possible dynamic response of
the structure under different excitation directions

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Vibration Analysis

B. Workshop 5.1 Free Vibration

Workshop 5.1 Free Vibration Analysis

Goal:
Investigate the vibration characteristics of two motor cover
designs manufactured from 18 gauge steel.

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Vibration Analysis

C. Free Vibration with Pre-Stress

In some cases, one may want to consider prestress effects

when performing a free vibration analysis.
The stress state of a structure under constant (static) loads
may affect its natural frequencies. This can be important,
especially for structures thin in one or two dimensions.
Consider a guitar string being tuned as the axial load is
increased (from tightening), the lateral frequencies increase.
This is an example of the stress stiffening effect.

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Vibration Analysis

Free Vibration with Pre-Stress

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A linear static analysis is initially performed:

K xo F
Based on the stress state from the static analysis, a stress
stiffness matrix [S] is calculated:

o S

The free vibration with pre-stress analysis is then solved, including

the [S] term

K S i M i 0

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In free vibration with pre-stress analyses, internally, two

iterations are automatically performed:

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Vibration Analysis

Procedure w/ Pre-Stress Effects

To perform a free vibration with pre-stress analysis (a.k.a.

prestressed modal analysis), it is the same as running a
regular free vibration analysis with the following
exceptions:
A load (structural and/or thermal) must be applied to
determine what the initial stress state of the structure is.
Results for the linear static structural analysis may also be
requested under the Solution branch, not the Frequency
Finder branch
A stress or strain result requested under the Frequency Finder
branch will be relative stress/strain values for a particular mode
A stress or strain (or displacement) result requested under the
Solution branch will be absolute stress/strain/displacement values
for the statically applied load

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Vibration Analysis

Example w/ Pre-Stress Effects

Consider a simple comparison of a thin plate fixed at one

end
Two analyses will be run free vibration and free vibration
with pre-stress effects to compare the differences between
the two.
Free Vibration

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Free Vibration with Pre-Stress

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Vibration Analysis

Example w/ Pre-Stress Effects

Notice that the only difference of running
a free vibration analysis with or without
pre-stress is the existence of a load
If a Frequency Finder tool is present and a
load is present, Simulation knows that a
Free Vibration with Pre-Stress analysis
will be performed.
If results such as displacement, stress, or
strains are requested directly underneath
the Solution branch, the results from the
linear static analysis can be reported.

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Vibration Analysis

Example w/ Pre-Stress Effects

In this example, with the applied force, a tensile stress state

is produced, thus increasing the natural frequencies, as
illustrated below

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Free Vibration

Free Vibration with Pre-Stress

1st mode frequency: 141 Hz

1st mode frequency: 184 Hz

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Vibration Analysis

D. Workshop 5.2 Prestressed Modal

Workshop 5.2 Prestressed Modal Analysis

Goal: simulate the modal response of the tension link

(shown below) in both a stressed and unstressed state.

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