FuNDAMENTALS OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS

for any integer n and

~= ln ( x(t) ) [2.59)
x(t + Td)

x(t) )
~=ln
( -..---
x(t + Td)
[2.60)

Equation (2.58) implies that the logarithmic decrement can be determined from
amplitudes measured on nonsuccessive cycles, while Eqs. (2.59) and (2.60) imply
that velocity and acceleration data can also be used to determine the logarithmic
decrement.

2. 1 7 IThe The slender rod of Example 2.4 has a mass of 31 kg and a length of 2.6 m. A 50-N
force is statically applied to the bar at P and then removed. The ensuing oscillations of
Pare monitored and an oscilloscope provides the acceleration data shown in Fig. 2.2lb
where the time scale is calibrated but the acceleration scale is not calibrated. Use the
data to find the spring constant k and the damping coefficient c. Also calibrate the
acceleration scale.
Solution:
The differential equation obtained in Example 2.4 is divided by the coefficient of its
highest derivative
.. 3c . 27k
x+-x+-x= 0
7m 7m
The natural frequency and damping ratio are determined by comparing the preceding
equation with the standard form of the differential equation for damped free vibrations,
Eq. (2.42)

= fi7k 3c
. Wn
v-;:;;; ~=---
14mcvn
The period of damped free vibrations is determined from the oscilloscope data as
0.1 s. The value of the logarithmic decrement is determined from the oscilloscope data
and Eq. (2.60)

~=In ( x(O.l s)
x(O) )
=In z3 = 0.405
The damping ratio is calculated using Eq. (2.57).
0.405
~ = = 0.0643
../4rr 2 + (0.405) 2
Equation (2.50) is used to calculate the damped natural frequency as 62.83 rad/s.
Equation (2.49) is used to calculate the natural frequency as 62.96 rad/s.
 CH A P T ER 2 • FREE VIBRATIONS OF ONE·DEGREE·OF•FREEDOM SYSTEMS

50 N

m = 31 kg

!-0.65 m~---1.95 m - - - - i
(a)

4,.-------------------,
3 •......... --··-··· ··-.. -...... ·- -- .... -·-. -·-. --- --- .. -- ---

2
1

-3'-----'-----<----'----'---~
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
Time (s)
(b)

SON

(
i)
t
Ry
t
mg t k[x(O) + ~.,]
(c)

Figure 2.21 (a) Initial position of bar of Example 2.17;

(b) oscilloscope data for Example 2.17;
(c) free-body diagram of initial position.

The spring stiffness and damping coefficient are determined as

k = 1mw~ = 7(31 kg)(62.96 rad/s) 2 = 3_19 x 104 N

27 27 m
c = 14mwn~ _ 14(31 kg)(62.96 rad/s)(0.0643) = 585 _7 N · s
3 3 m
 FUNDAMENTALS OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS

A static analysis of the equilibrium position provides the initial displacement of P

from equilibrium as
F 50N
x(O) = k = 3.19 x 104 N/m = 1. 6 mm

The initial acceleration is calculated using the governing differential equation

3c 21k 27(3.19 x 104 N/m) m
i(O) = --i(O) - -x(O) = - ) (0.0016 m) = -6.35 - 2
1m 1m 7(31 kg s
The acceleration scale is then calibrated:
2
.
1 umt = 6.35 3m/s = 2 .12 -ms2

2. 1 8 simplified model of a vehicle suspension system is illustrated in Fig. 2.22. The vehicle
of mass m is connected to its axles through a spring of stiffness kin parallel with a viscous
damper of damping coefficient c. When the system is designed to be underdamped, the
overshoot when the vehicle encounters a pothole of depth h is defined as the displacement
at the end of the first half cycle, -x(Td /2). The suspension system for a 1200-kg vehicle
is to be designed such that it has a static deflection of 5 cm when empty and has no more
than 7 percent overshoot when the vehicle is either empty or full. It is estimated that
when fully loaded the vehicle will carry 800 kg of passengers and cargo.
(a) Determine the required stiffness and damping coefficient of the suspension system.
(b) Plot the overshoot as a function of vehicle mass.

O.o7

0.06

~ 0.05
~

I·~
0.03

0.02

O.Ql

\200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000

Vehicle mass (kg)

Figure 2.23 Overshoot increases as mass increases.

 CH A P T E R 2 • FREE VIBRATIONS OF 0NE·DEGREE•OF-FREEDOM SYSTEMS

solutlons
The required stiffness is calculated as
k = mg = (1200 kg)(9.81 m/s2 ) = 2 .35 x 10s N/m
Llst (0.05 m)
For an underdamped system the overshoot is
1'/ = -x(Td/2) = -Ae-swnTd/ 2 sin (wdTd/2 + t/>d)
Noting that Td = 211' I Wd leads to
1'/ = -Ae-str/~ sin (11' + t/>d) = Ae-str/~ sint/>d
The initial conditions when the vehicle encounters a pothole of depth h are x(O) = h
and i (0) = 0. Thus h = A sin t/>d. And
1'/ =he-str/~
The damping ratio in terms of overshoot is

-~ln(*)
~ = ---;:::==========
l + [-~In(*) r
For7percentovershoot, 1'// h = 0.07, leadingtoaminimumdampingratioof ~ = 0.645.
Note that for the suspension system
c
~ = 2.;rnk.
Thus, as the passengers and cargo are added to the vehicle the damping ratio decreases.
Hence the suspension system should be designed so that the damping ratio is 0.645 when
it is fully loaded. To this end

c = 2~./mk, = 2(0.645))(2000 kg)(2.35 x 105) N/m = 2.79 x 104 N · s/m

Substitution for~ in terms of c, m, and k into the expression for overshoot leads to
!!_ = e -m1(2./mk.j1-(c2 /4mk))
h
The overshoot as a function of mass is plotted in Fig. 2.23.

Case 21 ~ = I (Crltlcally Damped Vibrations) For~ = 1, Eq. (2.36) has

only one real root

a1 = a2 = -wn [2.61]
The general solution of Eq. (2.42) is
x(t) = e-"'· 1 (C1 + C2t)