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Estimation of Damping by Logdecrement
Estimation of Damping by Logdecrement
The logarithmic decrement represents the rate at which the amplitude of a free damped vibration decreases. It is
defined as the natural logarithm of the ratio of any two successive amplitudes. It is found from the time response of
underdamped vibration (oscilloscope or real-time analyzer).
X1
X2
t1
t2
Td
Response of damped free vibration
x( t) = Ae n t cos(d t )
X 1 = Ae n t1 , X 2 = Ae n t 2 = Ae n (t 1 +Td )
X1
Ae nt 1
T
=
=e n d
n ( t1 +Td )
X2
Ae
X
2
2
= ln 1 = nTd = n
=
X2
n 1 2
1 2
If 2
2
1+
How to measure log decrement from test data from a lightly damped system?
For lightly damped system (y2 & y3 below), take 2nd Amp after N cycles.
1 := 0.1
0.998
2 := 0.01
3 := 0.001
X1
4 := 1
X N +1
0.5
y1( t)
y2( t)
y3( t)
t1 + nTd
t1
y4( t)
0.5
0.995
X1
X N +1
ln
Ae n t1
NT
=e n d
Ae n (t1 + NTd )
X1
= N (n T d ) = N
X N +1
1
X1
ln
N X N +1
3
t
5
5