Chapter 3

Vibrations of Multi-Degree of Freedom Systems

Introduction
•Multi-dof system: When a system requires more than one coordinate to describe
its configuration
•The n-dof system has n-natural frequencies, and for each of the natural
frequencies, there corresponds a natural state of vibration

•When vibrating at one of these normal modes, all points in the system undergo
simple harmonic motion that passes through their equilibrium positions
simultaneously.
 Frequencies and Mode Shapes for Undamped Systems

Why determination of the frequencies and mode shapes of a multi-dof

vibrating system is very important?

• It helps in tuning away the natural frequencies from the

operating speed range of a system in order to avoid resonance.
• Mode shapes show the relative displacements between the
various elements of the system.

Three common methods for determine the equations of motion and hence the
mass M and stiffness K matrices of the system

(a) From equations of motion using Newtons Second law of motion

(b) Using the influence coefficients
(c) From the equations of motion using Lagrangian equation
 1.Using Newton’s Second Law to Derive Equations of
Motion

STEP 1 Set up suitable coordinates to describe the positions of various point masses
or rigid bodies in the system.
 Con’t
• STEP 2 Assuming x3 > x2 > x1 draw the free body diagram of each mass or
rigid body in the system.

•STEP 3 Apply Newton’s second law of motion to each mass or rigid body using
D’Alembert’s principle)
 Con’t
Simplifying,

Equations 3.1 to 3.5 can be expressed in matrix form as:

Each mass undergoes harmonic motion of the same frequency, therefore, for
each mode:
 Con’t
• where Xi = constants. Substituting these equations into the differential
equations of motion, we have:

or

where, M and K are both square symmetric matrices and λ is the eigenvalue related to
natural frequency by λ = f(ω2).
Pre-multiplying both sides of Equation 3.6 by M−1, we have another form of the
equation

where A=M−1K and is called the dynamic matrix.

The eigenvalues can be determined by setting the determinant of the characteristic

matrix of Equation 3.7, to zero. That is:
 2. Influence Coefficients
•The equations of motion of multi-DOF systems can be written in terms of influence
coefficients.
•The influence coefficients associated with the stiffness and mass matrices are know as
the stiffness and inertia influence coefficients.

•In some cases, it is more convenient to rewrite the equations of motion using the
inverse of the stiffness matrix (known as the flexibility matrix) or the inverse of the
mass matrix.
•The influence coefficients corresponding to the flexibility matrix are known as
the flexibility influence coefficients.

Stiffness Influence Coefficients

The stiffness influence coefficient denoted by kij is defined as the force at point i due
to a unit displacement at j with all other displacements = 0
Check Example 3.2.2 in the class notes on page 44
 Influence Coefficients (con’t)
Flexibility Influence Coefficients
Flexibility is the inverse of stiffness. Displacement can be written in terms of the force
and stiffness by equation 3.14

In matrix form,

where,

Check Example 3.2.3 in notes

 3. Numerical Methods of Finding the Natural
Frequencies and Mode Shapes
• Sometimes, the expansion of the characteristic determinant and the
solution of the resulting n-th degree polynomial equation to obtain
eigenvalues and eigenvectors is very tedious especially for large values of
n (degree of freedom).
• Several numerical methods have been developed for computing the
natural frequencies and mode shapes for a multi-dof vibrating systems.
(a) Matrix iteration method
(b) Holzer’s method
(c) Dunkerleys method
(d) Rayleigh’s method
(e) Jacobi’s method
In this section we will consider the Matrix iteration method and the
Holzer’s method.
 3.1 Matrix Iteration
• The equation of motion of an undamped vibrating multi-
dof system has been shown to be represented as:

This equation can also be represented as:

which can be rewritten as:

where λ = ω2 and A=M−1K called the dynamic

matrix.
Check on example 3.3.1. from notes
 Convergence to Lower Modes of Vibration

• If the flexibility matrix (a = K−1) is used instead

of the stiffness matrix, then the iteration
procedure converges to the lowest mode of
vibration.
• In terms of the flexibility matrix [a]=[k]−1, the
equation of normal mode vibration is

• Check on example 3.3.2 from notes.

 Holzer’s Method
• Holzer’s method is a trial-and-error scheme
used to find the natural frequencies of
undamped and damped semi-definite (free-
free or unrestrained) vibrating systems
involving linear and angular displacements.
• The method can also be programmed for
computer applications.
 Torsional Vibrations
• In a torsional vibration problem, the restoring moment may be due to
the torsion of an elastic member or due to the unbalanced moment of a
force or couple.
• Figure 3.15 shows a disc, which has a mass moment of inertia Jo
mounted at one end of a solid circular shaft, the other end of which is
fixed.
 Con’t
Let the angular rotation of the disc about the axis of the shaft be θ which
also represents the shaft’s angle of twist. From the torsional formula:

the torque that produces an angle of twist θ is given as:

where G is the modulus of rigidity of the shaft material, l the length of the shaft and Io is
the polar moment of area of the shaft given as:

If the disc is displaced by θrads from its equilibrium position, the shaft will therefore
provide a restoring torque T given in Equation 3.22. Thus the shaft acts as a torsional
spring with a torsional spring constant given as:
 Con’t

By applying dynamic equilibrium on the disc after displacement, we get an ode given
as:

where

the square of the natural frequency of the torsional vibration of the disc.