This lecture note is mainly quoted from the text book Dynamics of Structures by Anil K.

Chopra, 3rd Edition, 2007

 CONTENTS OF CHAPTER 1
1.1 Simple Structures
1.2 Single-Degree-of-Freedom System
1.3 Force-Displacement Relation
1.4 Damping Force
1.5 Equation of Motion: External Force
1.6 Mass-Spring-Damper System
1.7 Equation of Motion: Earthquake Excitation
1.8 Problem Statement and Element Forces
1.9 Combining Static and Dynamic Responses
1.10 Methods of Solution of the Differential Equation
1.11 Study of SDF Systems: Organization
Appendix 1: Stiffness Coefficients for a Flexural Element
Appendix 2: Some Basic Information and Glossary
Appendix 3: Conversion Factors (US Customary Units to SI Units)
Free Vibration Experiment:
 Damping is any effect that tends to reduce the amplitude of oscillations
in an oscillatory system. It is the rate at which something dissipates energy.
The higher the damping, the higher the rate of energy dissipation.
 Mathematical Model - SDOF System

Mass element, m - representing the mass and inertial

characteristic of the structure
Spring element, k - representing the elastic restoring force
and potential energy capacity of the
structure.
Dashpot, c - representing the frictional characteristics
and energy losses of the structure
Excitation force, P(t) - represents the external force acting on
structure.

+
k = fs / u1
APPENDIX 2: SDF - INTRODUCTION

A single degree of freedom system consisting DAlemberts principle

of a mass m and a spring with stiffness k is The system is supposed in dynamic
considered. equilibrium. The principles of statics are
u(t ) applied by introducing a fictitious inertia
k k (N/m) force, a force equal to the product of mass
m p(t )
time its acceleration and acting in a direction
opposite to the acceleration.

The spring is undeformed for u = 0 Free-body diagram

The equation of motion can be derived in two u(t )

ways. ku(t )
p(t )
Newtons second law
mu(t )
u(t ) > 0 u(t ) fictitious inertia force
k p(t ) ku(t ) p(t )
m
Dynamic equilibrium

m u(t ) p(t ) k u(t ) m u k u p(t ) p( t ) k u ( t ) m u(t ) 0

Stiffness k
Combination of two springs case 2
The stiffness k has the same definition
as in the displacement method:
k1 k2
The stiffness k is the external force that This case is
m
is needed to keep the system in more
equilibrium when a unit displacement u complicated.
= 1 is applied.
u =1 u =1
d1, F1 d 2 , F2 F1 k1 d1
m k m k F2 k2 d2
k.1
spring external force

statics : F1 F2 k
Combination of two springs case 1
k k
d1 d2 1 1
The stiffness for this k1 k2
k2 system is trivial:
m
k1
k k1 k2 1 1 1

k k1 k2
 Some structures can be idealised as SDOF

Example 3 2 5 The mass of this SDF system is m, the

6
mass of the roof.
1 4
In statics, this frame
has 6 active degrees
of freedom. The lateral stiffness is determined in the classical way:

u =1
2
3
k
1
24EI
By neglecting the k
axial deformations, 3 L3
d.o.f. disappear.

1
12EI 6EI
rigid beam
1 m L
3
L
2

Only one d.o.f. is left if the

frame is consisting of an
heavy roof supported by 6EI 12EI
light columns. massless 2 3
L L
*

* From Dynamics of Structures, 3rd Edition by Clough & Penzien

The stiffness, k, of a body is a measure of the resistance offered by an elastic body to deformation.
For an elastic body with a single Degree of Freedom, the stiffness is defined as

where
P is the force applied on the body
is the displacement produced by the force along the same degree of freedom
VISCOUSLY DAMPED FREE VIBRATION
A and B are determined by the initial conditions.
Friction in the structure is u(t )
idealized by a linear u (t ) nent A cos(Dt ) B sin(Dt )
viscous damper which c
develops a force k
m ent A D sin(Dt ) BD cos(Dt )
proportional to the
velocity fD c u(t ) ut 0 uo uo A

ut 0 uo uo n A B D
The equation of motion is: m u c u k u 0

u nuo
if c cr 2 km (critical damping) the solution is u(t ) ent uo cos(Dt ) o sin(Dt )
D

u(t ) ent A cos(Dt ) B sin(Dt )

The solution can also be written as

uo
damping ratio damped pulsation u(t ) C ent sin(Dt ) sin
C
c c
D n 1 2 2
cr 2 km u nuo uo nuo
C uo2 o cos
D C D
COULOMB-DAMPED FREE VIBRATION
The constants A1, B1, A2, B2 depend on the initial
Coulomb damping u(t ) conditions of each successive half-cycle motion.
results from friction k
against sliding of two dry friction
m
dry surfaces. The plot of the solution is

u
The friction force is F = N where denotes the
coefficients of static and kinetic friction, taken to
be equal, and N the normal force between the
sliding surfaces.

F is assumed to be independent of the velocity of

the motion and its direction opposes motion.

The equations of motion from left to right are

t
m u k u F
u(t ) A1 cos(nt ) B1 sin(nt ) F / k

The equations of motion from right to left are

m u k u F

u(t ) A2 cos(nt ) B2 sin(nt ) F / k

 u

DAMPING
un

un + p
Different damping models can be t
tn t n +p
used, a viscous proportional damping
is the most used approach.

A free vibration test can be used to determine

There are two reasons for that:
experimentally the natural frequency and the
damping of a structure.
The mathematical equation which
describes the motion is easy. p periods between two maximal
points un and un p
This model gives results which are often tn p tn pTD
in very good agreement with
un C e ntn sin( Dtn )
experiments.
un p C e n (t n pTD ) sin( D (t n pTD ) )

A consequence is that the en pTD

damping coefficient can only be un 2
ln n p TD n p
determined by experiments. un p n 1 2
1 u
0.1 12 1 ln n
2p un p
Dynamic Amplification Factor (DAF) versus Damping
The increase in the effect of a dynamic load is given by DAF as below:

where u is the deflection of the structure due to the applied load.

Generally damping would be ignored for non-transient events (such as dead load or crowd loading),
but would be important for transient events (for example, an impulse load such as a bomb blast or
seismic load).
APPENDIX 3
HW#1
 END OF CHAPTER 1

DUE DATE OF HW#1:

1 WEEK AFTER FINISHING CHAPTER 1