MEEM 3700

Mechanical Vibrations
Mohan D. Rao
Chuck Van Karsen
Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Michigan Technological University
Copyright 2003

Lecture 7- Log Decrement

MEEM 3700

A method to experimentally measure damping ratio in under-damped systems

1

x1

0.8

n = number of periods

0.6

xn+1

0.4

t n+1 = t1 +n D

ampiltude

0.2

t1

tn+1

-0.2

2
d

D =

-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1

0.1

0. 2

nt

x(t ) = e

0.3

0. 4
0. 5
0 .6
tim e - s ec onds

0.7

0.9

( A cosd t + B sin d t )
or x (t ) = e

Lecture 7- Log Decrement

0 .8

n t

MEEM 3700

( X sin ( t + ) )
d

e nt1 ( X sin ( d t1 + ) )
x1
=
xn +1 e ntn+1 ( X sin ( d tn +1 + ) )

x1
e nt1
= ( t + n ) = e nn D
xn +1 e n 1 D

nn 2

x1
becomes
xn +1

Lecture 7- Log Decrement

Using: D = =
n 1 2
D
x1
= e n
xn +1

1 2

n 2

=e

1 2

MEEM 3700

n 2

x1
=e
xn +1

Given

1 2

take ln (loge) both sides

x n2
ln 1 =
Log Decrement
1 2
xn +1
1 x1
2
ln
=
n xn +1
1 2

2 for < 0.2

Lecture 7- Log Decrement

MEEM 3700

1
0.8

X1

0.6

Example

0.4

X6

ampiltude

0.2

X 1 = 0.68

X 6 = 0.12

-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1

0.1

Lecture 7- Log Decrement

0.2

0.3

0.4
0.5
0.6
time - seconds

0.7

0.8

MEEM 3700

0.9

1 0.68
ln
2
5 0.12
= 0.055 5.5%