Mce371 7

1-DOF Vibration Characteristics
MCE371: Vibrations
Prof. Richter
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Handout 7
Fall 2011
Free Vibration
Free Vibration with Dry Friction
Free Undamped Vibration
Follow Palm, Sect. 3.2, 3.3 (pp 120-138), 3.5 (pp 144-151), 3.8 (pp.
167-169)
The equation of motion for unforced (free) and undamped 1-DOF

systems is
mẍ + kx = 0
The general solution has the form x = A sin(wt + φ)
Verify that the above solution fits the differential equation if
k = mw 2
The frequency r
k
w=
m
has a key role in vibrations. It’s called the natural frequency
Free Vibration
Rayleigh’s Method
Sometimes, we are interested in finding the natural frequency without

having to derive the equations of motion. This can be done using
Rayleigh’s method if there is no friction (energy-conserving vibrations).
By conservation of total energy, the kinetic energy is minimum (zero)
when the potential energy is maximum, and the kinetic energy is
maximum when the potential energy is minimum. This means
Tmax + Vmin = 0 + Vmax
so
Tmax = Vmax − Vmin
In harmonic motion, the points of zero kinetic energy are reversal points,
where motion amplitude is maximum. If the displacement amplitude is A
and the frequency is wn , the velocity amplitude will be Awn .
Free Vibration
Using Rayleigh’s Method
When spring force (and not gravity) is the restoring force causing
oscillation, we can ignore gravity effects and consider oscillations about
the equilibrium position. In these cases, the frequency of oscillation is
independent of g .
Define an origin of coordinates for x at the equilibrium position and
assume x = A sin(wt).
Find expressions for the kinetic energy and the elastic potential
energy as a function of x and ẋ.
Find Tmax , Vmin and Vmax .
Use Tmax = Vmax − Vmin to find the frequency (A should drop out
of the equation)
Free Vibration
Example
Mass m hanging from a spring k.

Define the origin at the rest position and assume x = A sin(wt).
Then ẋ = Aw cos(wt).
T = 12 mẋ 2 and V = 12 kx 2 .
Tmax = 21 m(Aw )2 , Vmin = 0, Vmax = 21 kA2
1
Equation: 2 m(Aw )
2
= 12 kA2 . A2 cancels out.
We find w 2 = k/m, as expected. The frequency is the same on
earth, the moon or outer space.
Free Vibration
Examples: P3.31
Note: In P3.36, gravity is the only restoring force, can’t ignore it!
Free Vibration
Free 1-DOF Vibration with Viscous Damping

The equation of motion always has the form
mẍ + c ẋ + kx = 0
In Laplace form
(ms 2 + cs + k)X (s) = 0
The form of the solution depends on the roots (poles) of the

characteristic equation ms 2 + cs + k = 0
From the quadratic formula:
√
−c ± c 2 − 4mk
s=
2m
If c 2 − 4mk > 0 we get 2 distinct real poles (overdamped case)
If c 2 − 4mk = 0 we get 2 repeated real poles (critically-damped
case)
If c 2 − 4mk < 0 we get a pair of complex-conjugate poles
(underdamped case)
Free Vibration
Overdamped Solution
x(t) = A1 e r1 t + A2 e r2 t
where s = r1 and s = r2 are the real and distinct poles.
If at least one pole is positive, the solution grows to infinity (not
regarded a “vibration”)
If both poles are negative, x(t) dies out to zero as t increases.
We can find A1 and A2 if the initial conditions x(0) and ẋ(0) are
known, see Palm p.136.
Free Vibration
Critically-Damped Solution
x(t) = A1 e r1 t + tA2 e r1 t
where s = r1 is the real repeated pole (ch. eq. is (s − r1 )2 = 0).
If the pole is positive or zero, the solution grows to infinity.
If the pole is negative, x(t) dies out to zero as t increases.
We can find A1 and A2 if the initial conditions x(0) and ẋ(0) are
Free Vibration
Underdamped Solution
x(t) = Be rt sin(qt + φ)
where s = r ± qi is the complex-conjugate pole pair (solution of
ms 2 + cs + k = 0).
If the real part of the pole (r ) is positive or zero, the solution grows
to infinity.
If the pole is negative, x(t) dies out to zero as t increases.
We can find B and φ if the initial conditions x(0) and ẋ(0) are
Free Vibration
The Standard 1-DOF Equation

Assuming viscous damping and free vibration, we’ve seen that the
equation is
mẍ + c ẋ + kx = 0
Dividing through by m:
c k
ẍ + ẋ + x = 0
m m
Define the following constants
c
ζ = √ the damping ratio
2 mk
r
k
wn = the natural frequency
m
With these definitions the standard equation of motion is
ẍ + 2ζwn ẋ + wn2 x = 0
Free Vibration
Solutions According to Damping Ratio
Comparisons of c 2 − 4mk against zero are equivalent to comparisons of ζ

against 1, as follows:
If ζ > 1, the solution is overdamped
If ζ = 1, the solution is critically-damped
If 0 < ζ < 1, the solution is underdamped
If ζ = 0 there is no damping (pure harmonic motion).
If ζ < 0 the solution grows to infinity (unstable).
Free Vibration
Underdamped Vibration: The Damped Natural Frequency

The poles in the underdamped case have the form
p
s = −ζwn ± 1 − ζ 2 i
The free response in the underdamped case is a decaying oscillation
(recall 1st handout)
x(t) = Be −ζwn t sin(wd t + φ)
where wd is the damped natural frequency:
p
wd = 1 − ζ 2
wd (not wn ) is the frequency that is actually observed in a decaying

oscillation
We can find wd by measuring the period Td of the oscillation and
wd = T2πd
If wd and ζ are known, we can find wn easily.
Free Vibration
Underdamped Vibration: Logarithmic Decrement vs.

Damping Ratio
x(t)
Logarithmic decrement: δ = ln x(t+T ) , T is the period.
1
For non-consecutive peaks: δ = n ln BBn+1
1
(see Palm, p.150)
Relationship to ζ:
δ
ζ=√
4π + δ 2
2
Free Vibration
Coulomb (Dry) Friction
An mass sliding on a surface with Coulomb friction (µN type) is affected

by a force of constant magnitude and changing direction. The direction
of the friction force is always opposite to the direction of travel. We take
the friction force to be µN, where N is the normal force (component of
weight perpendicular to velocity vector). The friction force can be
expressed as
Ff = −µN sign (ẋ)
The equation of motion is then
mẍ + kx = −µN sign (ẋ )

Free Vibration
Free Vibration with Coulomb Friction Solutions

Assume the initial conditions are x(0) = x0 > 0 and ẋ(0) = 0. If the
restoring force can overcome friction (kx0 > µN), the block moves with
negative velocity and we have
mẍ + kx = µN
The solution has the form
x(t) = (x0 − µN/k) cos(wn t) + µN/k
which is valid only while ẋ ≤ 0 (until the block reaches zero velocity).
The time for this to happen can be easily calculated: t = π/wn . Then
the block begins moving with positive velocity, and we have
mẍ + kx = −µN
The solution in this case is
x(t) = (x0 − 3µN/k) cos(wn t) − µN/k
which is valid only for π/wn ≤ t ≤ 2π/wn .

Free Vibration
Free Vibration with Coulomb Friction Solutions...
Continuing the solution, it is seen that the solution segments are cosine
functions with decreasing amplitudes:
The sequence of amplitudes is Xn+1 = Xn − 4µN/k (the envelope is
a straight line). The initial amplitude is x0 .
The observed frequency in this case is wn .
Motion will continue until x falls below µN/k. Then the mass gets
stuck at this value.
Exercise: Sketch the shape of the oscillations in Prob. 3.70.
Free Vibration
Simulating Vibrations with Coulomb Friction
The sign function represents a sharp discontinuity. It is likely to cause

solvers like ode45 to crash. We can use a continuous approximation to
the sign function: the saturation function.
sgn (s) sat( φs )
1 1
s −φ s
φ
−1 −1
Signum function Saturation Function
The idea is to divide ẋ by a small constant φ and then apply the

saturation function. The slope of the approximation is 1/φ. We can
make φ as small as required to achieve a good tradeoff between
numerical solution speed and accuracy.
Free Vibration
Example
We simulate the equation of motion for Example 3.70 (take m = 1) in

Simulink using the saturation function. Note the difficulty in obtaining an
accurate stopping point.

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1-DOF Vibration Characteristics

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Free Undamped Vibration

The equation of motion for unforced (free) and undamped 1-DOF

Sometimes, we are interested in finding the natural frequency without

Tmax + Vmin = 0 + Vmax

Using Rayleigh’s Method

Mass m hanging from a spring k.

Free 1-DOF Vibration with Viscous Damping

The form of the solution depends on the roots (poles) of the

The Standard 1-DOF Equation

Solutions According to Damping Ratio

Comparisons of c 2 − 4mk against zero are equivalent to comparisons of ζ

Underdamped Vibration: The Damped Natural Frequency

wd (not wn ) is the frequency that is actually observed in a decaying

Underdamped Vibration: Logarithmic Decrement vs.

Coulomb (Dry) Friction

An mass sliding on a surface with Coulomb friction (µN type) is affected

mẍ + kx = −µN sign (ẋ )

Free Vibration with Coulomb Friction Solutions

which is valid only for π/wn ≤ t ≤ 2π/wn .

Free Vibration with Coulomb Friction Solutions...

Simulating Vibrations with Coulomb Friction

The sign function represents a sharp discontinuity. It is likely to cause

Signum function Saturation Function

The idea is to divide ẋ by a small constant φ and then apply the

We simulate the equation of motion for Example 3.70 (take m = 1) in

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