First Steps in Vibration Analysis Using ANSYS

Ulrike Zwiers Spring 2007

Referring to the two-mass-spring system sketched below, the basic steps in performing a vibration analysis with ANSYS are outlined. To validate the results of the modal analysis, the natural frequencies, amplitude ratios and the particular solution are also computed analytically. Furthermore, ANSYS is used to determine the system response resulting from an harmonic excitation.

Equations of Motion and Closed-Form Solution

Formulating the balance of linear momentum for the free-body diagrams shown in Figure 2 yields the following equations of motion: m1 x1 = k1 x1 + k2 (x2 x1 ) m2 x2 = k3 x2 k2 (x2 x1 ) The corresponding matrix equation reads as M x + Kx = 0 , with the mass matrix M and the stiness matrix K being given by M= respectively. m1 k1 k2 m2 k3 m1 0 0 m2 and K= k1 + k2 k2 k2 k2 + k3 ,

Figure 1: Two-mass-spring system

1 EQUATIONS OF MOTION AND CLOSED-FORM SOLUTION

m1 k1 x1 k2 (x2 x1 ) k2 (x2 x1 )

m2 k3 x2

x1 Figure 2: Free-body diagrams

x2

To simplify the further notation, the masses and stiness coecients are assumed in the form m2 = m1 = m , k3 = k1 = k , and k2 = k1 /5 = k/5 .

Consequently, the mass and stiness matrices may be written as M =m respectively. As for the analytical solution, an ansatz function of the form x(t) = xest may be chosen. However, since the considered system is undamped, it is known in advance that the two roots s1 and s2 will turn out to be purely imaginary. Thus, one may express the solution directly in terms of the natural frequency as x(t) = xeit . Substituting this ansatz into the matrix equation of motion yields (K 2 M ) = 0 . x To obtain solutions other than the trivial solution x = 0, the determinant of the matrix of the coecients must vanish, i.e., det(K 2 M ) = 0, which gives for the problem at hand the characteristic equation 6 k 2m 5
2

1 0 0 1

and

K=

k 5

6 1 1 6

1 2 k =0. 25

This equation is quadratic in 2 and may therefore be solved, for example, by using the so-called pq-formula resulting in
2 1 =

k m

and

2 2 =

7k . 5m

The amplitude vector x is not uniquely dened, but the ratios of the amplitude components corresponding to the frequencies 1 and 2 can be determined, namely, x1 =1 x2 and x1 = 1 , x2

2 MODAL ANALYSIS USING ANSYS

respectively. Thus, one mode represents an in-phase vibration, while the other one represents an out-of-phase vibration. As an example for forced vibrations, the rst mass m1 is now assumed to be harmonically excited in horizontal direction by an external force of the form F = F sin t , where represents the excitation frequency. The governing equations of motion may now be expressed in matrix notation as M x + Kx = f sin t , with f= F 0 .

The steady-state response is given by the particular solution of this inhomogeneous dierential equation for which an ansatz function of the form x = x sin t is chosen. Substituting this ansatz into the equation of motion yields (K 2 M ) = f . x For the simplifying assumptions introduced before (m2 = m1 = m, k3 = k1 = k, k2 = k1 /5 = k/5), the amplitudes are computed as x1 =
6 k 5 6 k 5

2 m F
2

2 m
k F 5

k2 25

x2 =

6 k 5

2 m

k2 25

Modal Analysis Using ANSYS

A modal analysis is performed to determine the vibration characteristics (i.e., the natural frequencies and mode shapes) of a structure. In ANSYS, a modal analysis is also the starting point for other, more detailed, dynamic analyses, such as a harmonic response or a transient analysis. First, the type of analysis is to be specied by using the command line ANTYPE,MODAL. The modal analysis options may then be specied by the command MODOPT. The mass and stiness matrices arising in the modal analysis of elastic structures are usually large but sparse. The corresponding eigenvalue problem is typically of order 105 106 ,

3 HARMONIC ANALYSIS USING ANSYS

and several hundred to thousand eigenvectors are often required as the frequency range of interest for the modal analysis increases. Several algorithms for solving such large eigenvalue problems have been implemented in ANSYS. Of course, the modal analysis of simple problems like the two-mass-spring system considered here does not require any special solution method, thus, the default setting (Block-Lanczos algorithm) may be used, while for more complex problems, other algorithms might be more suitable. However, in any case, the number of modes to extract must be specied, which is also done by the command MODOPT. The ANSYS-element type MASS21 models a point mass in space, while simple springdamper-combinations are represented by the element type COMBIN14. The mass and stiness parameters are to be input as Real Constants. The spring lengths can be arbitrarily selected since they are used only to dene the spring direction. After successful computation, the results of a modal analysis may be reviewed in the General Postprocessor (\post1). The natural frequencies are listed in the Results Summary SET,LIST, where each set is associated with a natural mode. For a certain mode (selected by using the SET-command), the corresponding mode shape may be animated (via the ANMODE-command). The unit of frequencies computed by ANSYS is Hz specifying the number of cycles per second, whereas the frequencies determined in the previous section represent angular frequencies specifying the number of radians per second. Since there are 2 radians in one revolution, the frequency fn and the angular frequency n are related through fn = n . 2

Thus, for validation of the results, it is essential to designate frequencies in the correct unit. The enclosed APDL-input le modal schwingerkette.txt documents the modal analysis of the two-mass-spring system at hand.

Harmonic Analysis Using ANSYS

An harmonic response analysis (ANTYPE,HARMIC) yields solutions of time-dependent equations of motion associated with linear structures undergoing steady-state vibration. To this end, all loads and displacements are assumed to vary sinusoidally at the same known frequency. As for the two-mass-spring system introduced above, the rst mass m1 is now assumed to be harmonically excited in horizontal direction by an external force as discussed in the rst section. The excitation frequency is now supposed to vary within a certain frequency range (to be dened by the HARFRQ-command), for which an amplitude-versusfrequency plot should be generated using the Time-History Postprocessor (\post26).

4 REFERENCE RESULTS

To get an adequate response curve, solutions at specic intervals are to be determined, i.e., a suitable number of substeps is to be specied (using the NSUBST-command). Here, it is essential to specify a stepped loading (KBC,1), since otherwise, the load amplitude is gradually increased with each substep. In addition, harmonic analysis options may be specied by the command HROPT. The enclosed APDL-input le harm schwingerkette.txt documents the harmonic response analysis of the two-mass-spring system at hand.

Reference Results

The results obtained from the modal analysis and the harmonic analysis performed in ANSYS are validated by comparing them against the corresponding analytical solutions derived in the rst section. To this end, the following parameters are chosen m = 10 kg , k = 2000 N/m and F = 100 N . (1)

It is pointed out that the units of these parameters can be arbitrarily chosen as long as they are consistent.

Figure 3: Harmonic response of the two-mass-spring system

4 REFERENCE RESULTS

The two natural angular frequencies of the considered system are 1 = 14.1421 [s1 ] and 2 = 16.7332 [s1 ], which agrees perfectly with the natural frequencies computed by ANSYS: f1 = 2.2508 [Hz] and f2 = 2.6632 [Hz]. These values are also conrmed by the amplitude-versus-frequency plot shown in Figure 3. As a further validation, the amplitudes x1 and x2 at a certain excitation frequency should be compared. At = 2.4 [Hz], for example, both the analytical solution and the ANSYS computation yield concordantly x1 = 0.0875 [m] and x2 = 0.2776 [m].