ME 308-Introduction to Vibrations

Fall 2016
HW 5 due Fri. Oct. 14 by 12:50 (no late HW)

Figure 1 Vibration testing as a quality acceptance tool. This test is used to predict the life of the
bearing by examining the fatigue life. The instrumented impact hammer (the applied force is
measured usually using a pressure transducer P=F/A where A can be calculated at the head of the
hammer) strikes the bearing. The response of the bearing is measured using an accelerometer.
The system returns to rest after some time and the process is repeated to get several
measurements that can be averaged. This allows you to find frequencies and damping so you
can perform a fatigue analysis.
Ref: http://reliabilityweb.com/index.php/articles/rolling_element_bearing_acceptance_and_life_testing/

Problem 1 (10 points). Free Undamped Vibration. The figure below shows a wire that is pinned
at A and B and the wire is subject to a tension of 15 lb. Determine the response with time when
the 3 lb weight in the center of the wire is displaced 2 inches horizontally and released from rest.
Follow the required homework format to show all of your work i.e. a) Assumptions, b) FBD, c)
ID, d) EOM, e) , f) x(t). Also, include a printed plot of the response with time using the script
we made in class (sept23.m) which is in the MATLAB folder on Blackboard. You will have to
modify the constants at the top of the file appropriately.

Problem 1. A wire subject to tension vibrates.

Problem 2 (5 points) Continuous Systems. The figure below shows a sketch of the ASTROGAM
satellite with deployed solar arrays. The two identical solar panel arms are connected to the
spacecraft body through aluminum rods with length 0.3 m, diameter 0.5 m, and Young’s
Modulus 7.1x1010 N/m2, density 2.7x103 kg/m3, and Iz=r4/4. The solar panels are clustered
tightly together so let’s assume that the connecting rods between panels are negligible as a first
round solution. Let’s assume that each solar panel has width 1.2192 m, length 0.9144 m,
thickness 0.3048 m and a weight density of 5536 kg/m3. Determine the natural frequency of one
arm about the connecting aluminum rod. Make a sketch showing how you will model the
vibration of the system.

Problem 2. ASTROGAM satellite. Ref: http://astrogam.iaps.inaf.it/mission_configuration.html

Problem 3 (5 points) Continuous Systems. The firetruck below has a telescoping boom that is
used to lift a fireman up in a bucket. The boom can be realistically modeled using three length
segments and segment #1 is closest to the truck and segment #3 is closest to the bucket and the
properties of the boom (length, cross-sectional area, and Young’s modulus) are given on the
sketch. The bucket and fireman weigh 2010 N. Find the natural frequency of the system in the
vertical direction when the boom is at an angle 50o from the horizontal. Make a sketch to show
how you will model the system. Assume that the mass of the telescoping boom is negligible
compared to the bucket and fireman and that the boom can only deform in the axial direction (no
bending).

Segment 2
Length: 2.5 m
Segment 3 Area: 10 cm2
g Length: 2 m Young’s Modulus: 1.8x1011 N/m2
Area: 5 cm2
Young’s Modulus: 1.8x1011 N/m2
Segment 1
Length: 3.2 m
Area: 20 cm2
50o
Young’s Modulus: 1.8x1011 N/m2

Problem 3. Firetruck boom natural frequency in vertical direction.

Problem 4 (5 points). Damped 1 DOF systems. A damped single degree of freedom mass-spring
system has a mass of 5 kg, a spring coefficient of 1000 N/m, and damping coefficient c=15
Ns/m. Determine the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the mass after 0.5 seconds if
the initial conditions are 𝑥0 = 0.05 m and 𝑥̇ 0 = 1 m/s.
Problem 5 (15 points). Damped 1 DOF systems. The figure below illustrates a single degree of
freedom damped spring-mass system which rotates about O. The rod is massless and has length
L. The rod has two rigidly attached point masses at either end of the rod. Determine the equation
of motion and the response with time (wait until Part e) to plug in values). Follow the required
homework format to show all of your work i.e. a) Assumptions, b) FBD, c) ID, d) EOM, e) , f)
(t) given that L= 1m, m1=1 kg, m2=2 kg, k=1000 N/m, c=10 Ns/m, and subject to initial
conditions 𝜃0 = 0 and 𝜃̇0 = 5 rad/s.

m1

L/3
g

2L/3
c

m2
k

Problem 5. Vertical Pendulum

Problem 6 (10 points). Damped 1 DOF systems. The figure below illustrates a single degree of
freedom damped spring-mass system which rotates about O. The rod is rectangular with mass m
and length L and it is uniform with inertia about its CG, ICG=mL2/12. Determine the equation of
motion and the natural frequency of the system. Before you solve, think about whether gravity is
a restoring force and if it should be in the EOM. Follow the required homework format to show
all of your work i.e. a) Assumptions, b) FBD, c) ID, d) EOM, e) .

k c 3k
g O

L/4 L/4
3L/4

Problem 6. Horizontal pendulum.

Problem 7 (5 points). Damped 1 DOF systems. A single degree of freedom damped mass-spring
system has the following parameters: equivalent stiffness of 4500 N/m, a critical damping
constant of 200 Ns/m, and a logarithmic decrement of 2. If the system is set into vibration with
an initial velocity of 1 m/s, determine the maximum displacement of the system.