Review of Mechanical

Vibrations
Ara Arabyan

Week 12

Spring 05

AME 463

Vibration Analysis

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Deformable structures vibrate (undergo

oscillatory motion) under the action of
impulsive or time-varying forces
Vibration in a structure results from the
transformation of potential energy into kinetic
energy and vice versa
Potential energy in the structure is stored in
elastic elements and kinetic energy is stored in
mass elements.

AME 463

Simple Harmonic Oscillator

(SHO)

Consider the mass-spring system comprised of a block of

l0
mass m and a spring of stiffness k and unstretched
length

l0

u
m

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The motion of the block is measured by its displacement

u from the unstretched position of the spring

AME 463

SHO Equation of Motion

The free-body diagram of the SHO with no applied

forces acting on the block is as shown below (forces
shown only in direction of motion)

ku

&
& ku
From Newtons 2nd Lawmu

or

&
& ku 0
mu

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AME 463

Free Undamped Vibrations of

SHO
The solution of this equation is given by
u t A sin nt Bcosnt
where
n k/ m is known as the natural frequency of the
oscillator and A and B are constants determined by initial
conditions

u 0 u0 u& 0 u&0

This solution can also be written as

u t U sin nt
where U is known as the amplitude and

oscillation

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AME 463

as the phase of

Frequency and Period

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The amplitude and phase are given in terms of the

undetermined constants as
B
U A 2 B2 arctan
A
n k/ m
When the frequency is computed from
its
units are in rad/s and is also known as circular
frequency; this can also be expressed in Hz or cycles/s
by

f n
2
The period of the motion1(in 2seconds)
is given by

f n
AME 463

Motion of Undamped SHO

The motion of the oscillator and the
quantities defined are displayed
graphically in the figure below

u(t)

The equation of
motion of the
oscillator can
also be written
as
&
& n2u 0
u

-U

0
t

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AME 463

Effect of Damping

If a viscous damper is added to the SHO we obtain

l0

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ku

cu&

u&

The quantity c is known as the damping constant of the

damper
The resulting equation of motion is
&
& cu& ku 0
mu

AME 463

Damped Vibrations of SHO

This equation can also be written as

&
& 2nu& n2u 0
u

Where c/ 2mn

For 0 1
(underdamped) the solution of this
equation is given by
u t Uent sin dt d

where d n 1 2
frequency

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is known as the damping ratio

is known as the damped natural

AME 463

Motion of Damped SHO

The underdamped motion of the SHO is

depicted graphically below

u(t)

Ue t
n

In the presence
of damping the
oscillator always
comes to rest
This motion is
also known as
transient
vibration

-U

0
t

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10

Effect of Applied Forces

If an applied force acts on the block we obtain

l0

F t

ku

cu&

u&

F t

The applied force F(t) is often known as an exciting or

disturbing force
The resulting equation of motion is
&
& cu& ku F t
mu

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11

Effect of Harmonic Disturbances

Harmonic disturbance is one of the most common

classes of excitation (e.g. rotating machinery, road
surface, etc.)
In such cases the disturbing force can be written as
F t F0 sin f t

f
Where
is the excitation amplitude and
is the
excitation or forcing frequency
st F0 / k
The quantity
is known as the static
deflection
F0

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12

Forced Harmonic Motion of SHO

The motion of an underdamped SHO under harmonic

excitation is given by
Forced or
steady-state
response

Transient response

u t Uent sin dt d

where

Uf

U f sin

F0

k m

2
f

arctan

c
2

1/ 2

c f

k m 2f

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13

Forced Damped Vibration of

SHO

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Transient + steady-state

Steady-state

Uf

u(t)

The response of the

SHO to harmonic
excitation is depicted
the right
As is evident the
motion follows the
forcing function after
the transient
response dies out
The frequency at
steady-state is the
same as the forcing
frequency

-Uf

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14

Amplification of Response

Because of the effect of damping the transient

response eventually dies out and the forced
response (more commonly known as the steadystate response) remains
The amplitude of the steady-state response is more
generally written in terms of the static deflection as
Uf

where

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F0 / k

1 r

r f / n

2 2

2 r

st

1 r

2 2

2 r

is known as the frequency ratio

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15

Resonance

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When the frequency ratio r = 1 resonance is said to

have occurred
When resonance occurs the amplitude of the steady
state response becomes
U f st
2
Clearly if the damping ratio is very small then the
amplitude of the forced response becomes very large
which is generally undesirable
Resonance is a function of both the forcing frequency
and the system natural frequency which are fixed by the
physical parameters of the system

AME 463

16

Amplification and
Resonance
The ratio of the steady

state response amplitude

and the static deflection is
called the amplitude or
amplification ratio

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Uf
F0 / k

Uf

F0 / k

Resonanc
e

The amplification of the

steady-state response as a
function of the frequency
ratio and the damping
ratio is plotted on the right

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17

Energy Considerations

If there is no damping the total mechanical energy of

the SHO is conserved
T T0 0 T (0) (0) E0

where T is the kinetic energy of the mass and is the

potential energy stored in the spring at any time

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Oscillatory motion results from the exchange of kinetic

and potential energy between the spring and mass
elements
The energy is exchanged at the frequency of oscillation

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18

Two-DOF Systems

Now consider the two-mass, two-spring system below

with no applied forces

u2

u1

k1

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m1

k2

m2

The number of independent displacements determines

1 , u2
the number of DOF (in thisucase
)
The displacements are measured from the unstretched
positions of the springs

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19

Two-DOF System Equations of

Motion

The free-body diagrams of the two masses with no

applied forces acting on the block is as shown below
(forces shown only in direction of motion)

u2

u1
k1u1

m1

k2 u2 u1

m2

From Newtons 2nd Law

&
&1 k1u1 k2 u2 u1
m1u
&
&2 k2 u2 u1
m2u

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20

Mass, Stiffness Matrices

These equations can also be written as

&
&1
k1 k2 k2 u1
0
m1 0 u

0 m u
u 0
&
&

k
k
2
2

2
2 2

Mass
matrix

Stiffness
matrix

They can also be written in more concise form as

&
& Ku 0
Mu

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Note that the stiffness matrix is identical to the stiffness

matrix obtained for two springs in series with one end
constrained

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21

Solution of Two-DOF
Systems
Assume that the two masses will undergo harmonic

motion as in the single DOF case with some unknown

frequency, amplitude, and phase
u1 t
U1
sin t

U
u
t
2
2

Substituting these in the equations of motion we obtain

k1 k2 k 2 U 1
0
m1 0 U 1

sin t
sin t

k2 k2 U 2
0
0 m2 U
2

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22

Eigenvalue Problem

These equations can be written more concisely as

K M U sin t 0
2

or

K 2I U sin t 0

These equations can have a nontrivial solution for U for all time
if and only if the determinant of the matrix in the parenthesis
vanishes
1
2

det M K I 0

M 1K

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2
2
This is equivalent
to finding
the
eigenvalues
of

2
1
2
case two values of
which we will call
and

AME 463

(in this
)

23

Natural Frequencies, Mode

Shapes

The square roots of the eigenvalues of

yield the
M 1K
2 and
two natural frequencies of the two-DOFsystem
1
1 is labeled
the smaller of the two frequencies
and is
known as the fundamental frequency
The assumed amplitudes of oscillation can now be
determined from

K i2I U i 0 i 1,2

1
where each vectorU i
is the ith eigenvector
Mof
K
Recall that the components of i
cannot be determined
U
explicitly; only the ratio between the two components can
be determined
The resulting
i are known as the mode shapes of
U
vibration

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24

Multi-DOF Systems

When an oscillatory system comprised of discrete

masses and springs has N DOF, then the mass and
stiffness matrices of the system will be of order N
N N N 1

N N N 1

N 1

&
& K u 0
M u

This system, in general, has N distinct natural

frequencies and N distinct mode shapes
The natural frequencies of the system are the
square roots of the eigenvalues
of
and the
1
M K
mode shapes are the eigenvectors
of
M 1K

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25

Modal Analysis

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The free motion of the masses is determined by

taking a weighted superposition of the different
mode shapes (as in the case of the two-DOF
system)
The determination of the free motion of the
masses using a weighted superposition of the
mode shapes is known as modal analysis
Lower frequency modes are more dominant
Consequently the motion of the masses can be
approximated by taking a weighted superposition
of only the first few modes
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26

Example 1: Free Vibrations of a Two-DOF

System

In the two-DOF system below

k1 120lb/ in k2 80lb/ in m1 m2 20lbm
u1 0 1in u2 0 0.5in u&1 0 u&2 0 0

u2

u1
k1

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m1

k2

m2

Determine the natural frequencies and free response of

the system; verify your results with ANSYS

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27

Example 1: Natural Frequencies

In this case the mass and stiffness

200
1 20 0
M
K

80
0
20
386.4

Thus

matrices are
80

80

3.864 1.546
3
M K

10

1.546 1.546
1

The eigenvalues of the matrix are (from Matlab)

12 772.8 22 4636.8

Thus the natural frequencies of the system are

1 27.8rad/ s 4.42Hz 2 68.1rad/ s 10.8Hz

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Example 1: Mode Shapes

The normalized eigenvectors (mode shapes) of

(from Matlab)
U 1 0.447 0.894

U 2 0.894 0.447

U 2 1.0 0.5

Physically this means

1.0

2.0

1.0 0.5

m1

m2

m1

m2
Mode 2

Mode 1
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In vibration analysis this is often written as

U 1 1.0 2.0

are

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29

Example 1: Time-domain
Solution

Thus the free vibration response is given by

u1 t U 1 1 sin 1t 1 U 1 2 sin 2t 2
U 11 sin 27.8t 1 U 12 sin 68.1t 2

u2 t U 21 sin 1t 1 U 22 sin 2t 2

2U 11 sin 27.8t 1 0.5U 12 sin 68.1t 2

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U 1 1 ,U 1 2 ,1 ,2
The four unknowns in these equations
(
) can be determined from the four
initial conditions given (quite complicated) resulting in

u1 t 0.4sin 27.8t 0.6sin 68.1t in

2

u2 t 0.8sin 27.8t 0.3sin 68.1t in

2

2
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30

Example 1: Time-domain
Solution

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1.5

u1(t)
1

u2(t)
0.5

u1, u2 (in)

The motion of the

two masses are
depicted in the
figure on the right
Note that both
modes are
present in the
motions of both
masses
The motion of the
masses is
comprised of a
weighted
superposition of
the two modes

-0.5

-1

-1.5
0

0.05

AME 463

0.1

0.15

0.2

t (sec)

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

31

Example 1: ANSYS Modal Analysis (1st

Mode)

The output of
ANSYS modal
analysis for
this problem is
shown on the
right
The first
natural
frequency is at
top left
The first mode
shape is
indicated by
the position of
the blue dots
relative to the
black dots

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Example 1: ANSYS Modal Analysis (2nd

Mode)

The
secondmode
solutions
shown on
the right
also agree
with handcomputed
results

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33

Example 1: ANSYS Transient

Analysis
A transient
analysis
performed
on ANSYS
using the
initial
conditions
given
yields the
same
results as
those
computed
by hand

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34

Example 2: ANSYS Harmonic

Analysis

Perform an ANSYS harmonic analysis on the two-DOF

f 0
: 20
system shown below
with
Hz and
following two force magnitude combinations
a) F1 100lb F2 0
b) F1 100lb F2 50lb

u2

u1
k1

m1

k2

m2

F1 sin f t

F2 sin f t
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35

Example 2: Frequency Response

(Case a)

The response
of the system
to the applied
harmonic force
is shown on the
right
As is evident
resonance
occurs at both
natural
frequencies but
the response at
the first natural
frequency is
more dominant

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36

Example 2: Frequency Response

(Case b)

In this case the

entire response
of the system
is the first
mode because
the two forcing
functions are
such that they
excite only the
first mode
(amplitude of
force on mass
2 is twice the
amplitude of
force on mass
1)

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37

Conclusions

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The response of a structure to a pattern of harmonic

excitations depends on the points of application and the
amplitudes (as well as phases) of the forcing functions
In general the strongest response will be in the first or
fundamental mode (corresponding to lowest natural
frequency) but depending on special circumstances
higher modes may also be excited disproportionately
In all structural analysis first a modal analysis must be
performed to determine natural frequencies and mode
shapes; this must be followed by a harmonic analysis
over a frequency range that brackets the first several
natural frequencies to determine their response to
expected loading conditions

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38