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TITLE PAGE
Original Paper

Theoretical Extraction of Quality Factors of Mechanical Resonators

D. John Jabaraj1

Corresponding Author: D. John Jabaraj

MSI-Universiti Kuala Lumpur, 09000 Kulim, Kedah, Malaysia.

(e-mail: jojab77@yahoo.com)
(Tel: +60174194717)

Abstract
We devise a method of theoretically extracting various quality factors values of the
mechanical resonator. The method was acquired through the analytical modelling of the
quality factors. First, assumptions regarding some quality factors were made. Then, the
relationship between the total quality factor and resonant frequency was derived as an
augmented matrix. By using only a data set of four corresponding values of quality factor and
resonant frequency; the constants of quality factors of support-loss, medium damping and
thermo-elastic damping can be determined. The analytical modelling done here is validated
by comparing the theoretical and observed values of the quality factor of support loss using
the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test statistic.

Keywords
Mechanical resonator; Quality factors; Analytical modelling.

Main Text
1. Introduction
It is often imprecisely thought that the resonance of a structure is guaranteed if the frequency
of external forced vibration matches the resonant frequencies of the structure. This is
inaccurate because the damping existing in a structure; represented as either damping ratio or
total quality factor (Q-factor), also affect resonance [1]. If the total Q-factor is < 0.5, the
amplitude does not peak and resonance does not occur. Only when the total Q-factor is >
0.7071, the amplitude peaks. Moreover, the Q-factor must be > 5 for the resonance occur at
1% of the resonant frequency value [2],

There are several Q-factors, based on the type of damping present in a resonator [3]. The
damping caused by surrounding medium is evaluated by the Q-factor of medium damping
(Qmedium). Meanwhile, the damping caused by the support of a resonator is characterized by the
Q-factor of support-loss (Qsupport). The Q-factor of thermo-elastic damping (QTED) describes
the damping arising from the coupling of mechanical stress-stain to heat flow, in resonant
material. Other types of minor damping, such as surface loss, can be denoted as Qothers [4].
The total Q-factor of mechanical resonators can then be determined by adding the various Qfactors reciprocally.
1 / Q 1 / Qsupport 1 / Qm edium 1 / QTED 1 / Qothers

(1)

Therefore in order to obtain the total Q-factor value, the value of the various Q-factors must
be calculated individually. The method can be complex and tedious [5]. However

experimentally, this can be avoided through the direct determination of the total Q-factor as
the ratio of the resonant frequency, f to the full-width half-height of resonance, fFWHM [6].
Q f / f FWHM

(2)

This simplifies the resonant studies on structures but results in uncertain contribution of each
individual Q-factor towards the total Q-factor.

This study attempts to redeem the problem by deriving a method of theoretically calculating
the values of various Q-factors from the total Q-factor, obtained by Eq. 2. The method is
fabricated through analytical modelling [7]. First, assumptions on the Q-factors of
mechanical resonators are made. Then, the relationship between the total Q-factor and
various Q-factors are modelled. The modelling is then validated analytically through
comparison with past experimental data.

2. Methods
2.1 Modelling the Quality Factors of Mechanical Resonator
The Qsupport of a resonator depends on its structural geometry and the type of support it has [8].
Hence, the Qsupport is assumed to depend on a dimensional constant, a.
Q support a

(3)

The Qmedium of a resonator depends on its resonant frequency and on the composition of its
structure and the surrounding medium [8]. Thus, the Qmedium is assumed to depend on a
combined compositional constant, b and the resonant frequency, f.
Qm edium bf

(4)

The QTED of a resonator depends on heat coefficients, structural characteristics and the
resonant frequency (in power terms) [4]. Thus, the QTED is assumed to depend on a time delay
constant, c; combined heat coefficients constant, d; and resonant frequency terms of f.
QTED

1 c2 f
df

(5)

2.2 The Relationship of Total Quality Factor and Various Quality Factors
In order to obtain the equation of the total Q-factor of the mechanical resonator; the equations
of Qmedium, Qsupport and QTED (Eq. 3 Eq. 5) is substituted into Eq. 1 [9]
1 / Q 1 / Qsupport 1 / Qm edium 1 / QTED 1 / Qothers

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1 / Q 1 / a 1 / bf df /(1 c 2 f 2 )

Qa Qfb Qf 2 (ac 2 abd) Qf 3bc 2 fab f 3 abc2 0

(6)

The Q-factor of other energy losses; Qothers, is ignored. A minimum of four data sets of total
Q-factor and resonant frequency is needed to determine the constants a, b, c and d in Eq. 5. If
the data sets are assumed as (Q1, f1), (Q2, f2), (Q3, f3) and (Q4, f4); then the resulting equation
can be simplified into an augmented matrix form as
Q1

Q1 f 1

Q1 f 12

Q1 f 13

f1

f 13

Q2 f 2

Q2 f 2 2

Q2 f 2 3

f2

f23

Q
3

Q3 f 3

Q3 f 3

f3

f3

Q
4

Q4 f 4

Q4 f 4 2

Q4 f 4 3

f4

f43

Q
2

Q3 f 3

0
0

(7)

The constants; a, b, c and d of the various Q-factors can then be determined by utilizing the
Gaussian-Jordon elimination method.

2.3 Validation Test

In this analytical modelling, each theoretical value (obtained by modelling) are compared to
its observed value (obtained from independent experimental studies), for validation of
modelling. A null hypothesis significance testing of paired data is therefore conducted. Null
hypothesis (H0) states that the difference between the observation and the theory as

insignificant at 0.05 confidence level. Here the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test (T)
is utilized to measure the median of difference of scores (D) between pairs of dependent
samples [ ]. Hence
H 0 : D 0

, rejection region is T < Tcrit , where p(Tcrit)= 0.05

The critical T (Tcrit) value is obtainable from of the critical Wilcoxon T values for n signed
rank table. If is T > Tcrit, then the null hypothesis is acceptable; and vice-versa.
,

3. Results
3.1 Validation of Modelling
Table 1: together with the theoretically obtained constants of a, b, c and d of the quality
factors of resonators

Past
Studies
MR1

Frequency
(Hz)

Total Qfactor

MR2

The theoretical values of Qsupport are compared against their observed values for few of the
selected mammals in this study for the validation of modelling done.

Table 2: Comparison between the theoretical Qsupport and the observed Qsupport of the modelled
tympanic membrane (aCastagno & Lavinksy (2006), bKojo (1954), cDecraemer & Funnell
(2008), dLim (1968), eSalamati et al. (2012) and f ()
Qsupport
Ave. Radius
Ave. Thickness
Observed
Theoretical
(mm)
(mm)
Human
4.80a
0.075b
40.96
43.20
c
d
Cat
3.50
0.040
56.00
56.83
Rat
1.15a
0.012e
61.33
58.67
c
f
Rabbit
3.00
0.040
48.00
41.88
According to equations Eq. 3 and Eq. 6; the constant b of the Qmedium depends linearly to the
Mammals

thickness of the tympanic membrane modelled as circular resonator. In order to validate this,

the theoretical value of the constant b (Table 1) is plotted against the data on the average
thickness of the tympanic membrane (Table 2), as in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1: The relationship between the constant b of the Qmedium and the average thickness of the
tympanic membrane for selected mammals.
4. Discussion

Furthermore, the equation for QTED (Eq. 4) was simplified from the QTED of cantilever as the
QTED for the circular membrane is not available in literature [28]. The constants of QTED; c and
d are combinations of various coefficients. Thus, they were not analyzed as they are

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complicated and may vary for the circular membrane. This study was hampered by the lack
of past data on the average thickness of the tympanic membrane in various mammals [27].
Hence, the validations of the modelling done here were based on few selected mammals.

Acknowledgements
This work was conducted in UniKL-MSI. D. John Jabaraj thanks Popoi and Amboi in many
ways for many things.

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[28]
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Figure Legends
Fig. 1: The ranges of bending stiffness of the alveolar wall model vs. its thickness.

Table Legends
Table 1: Bending stiffness values of calculated theoretical data (using Poisson ratio = 0.35)
and of experimental data for egg-lecithin membrane [19] and polyethylene membrane [20].

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