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 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 ampiltude 0 -0.2 -0.4 -0.6 -0.8 -1

x1
xn+1

n = number of periods t n+1 = t1 +n D

t1

tn+1

D =
0 0.1 0. 2 0.3 0. 4 0. 5 0 .6 tim e - s ec onds 0.7 0 .8 0.9 1

2 d

x(t ) = e

nt

( A cosd t + B sin d t )
or x (t ) = e
n t
MEEM 3700

( X sin ( t + ) )
d
2

Lecture 7- Log Decrement

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
x1 becomes xn +1

Using: D = = n 1 2 D
x1 = e n xn +1
MEEM 3700
nn 2 1 2 n 2

=e

1 2

Lecture 7- Log Decrement

n 2

Given

x1 =e xn +1

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 0.6 0.4 0.2 ampiltude 0 -0.2 -0.4 -0.6 -0.8 -1

X1

Example
X6

X 1 = 0.68 X 6 = 0.12 1 0.68 ln 2 5 0.12 = 0.055 5.5%

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4 0.5 0.6 time - seconds

0.7

0.8

0.9

Lecture 7- Log Decrement

MEEM 3700