Topics

1. Introduction to vibrations

2. Damped free vibration

3. Forced vibration

4. Transmissibility, rotating balance, vibration isolation

5. Vibration of systems with multiple degrees of freedom

2
 Course Expected Outcomes
1. Be able to develop mathematical model of mechanical
vibration systems

2. Be able to calculate natural frequency and period of

mechanical vibration systems

3. Be able to obtain system’s vibration response

4. Be able to deal with engineering systems involving

vibration isolation and rotating unbalance

3
 Teaching Materials

Prescribed Texts:
1. Jie Yang, Anna Bourmistrova,
Tom Thomas.
Learning Package: Mechanical
Vibrations.
RMIT University.

4
 Teaching Materials

2. Rao, S.S.
Mechanical Vibration. 5th Ed
(2011)

5
 Teaching Materials

References:

1. Kelly, S.G., 2012. Mechanical Vibrations: Theory and

Applications, Cengage.
2. Thomson, W.T., 1997, Theory of Vibration with
Applications, Prentice Hall.
3. Balachandran, B., 2008, Vibrations, Cengage
Learning.
4. Inman, D.J,. 2013, Engineering Vibration, Prentice
Hall.
6
Topic 1

Introduction to Vibration

17
 Things to learn today

1. Basic concepts of vibration

2. Classification of vibration problems

3. Mathematical model to describe a vibration problem

4. Derive equation of motion using free body diagram & Newton’s law

5. Natural frequency

18
 Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

1. Basic Concepts
Vibration (Oscillation):
Any motion that repeats itself after an interval of time.

Typical examples: a swinging pendulum, a moving vehicle on

rough road surface, etc.

19
A swinging pendulum

20
 A person sitting in a moving vehicle

flapping motion of an insect

21
 Session 1.2 Vibration and Damping

2. Classifications of vibration

Free vibration:

A system, after an initial disturbance, vibrates on its own without

any external force in the direction of movement.
Examples: a swing pendulum, transient motion at the start and end
of a machine motion, guitar strings.
Free vibration is problematic but can reveal important characteristics
such as, natural frequency, damping ratio, etc., of a vibration system.

22
 Session 1.2 Vibration and Damping

Forced vibration:

A system vibrates under an applied external force.

Examples:
vibration of building due m
to earthquake,
am
e
engine with unbalanced
rotating mass

k c

23
 Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

undamped vibration:

No resistance resulting in energy dissipation or loss during vibration.

(a swinging pendulum in vacuum).

damped vibration:

There exists resistance which leads to energy loss in the course of

vibration (a swinging pendulum in viscous fluid).

24
 Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

Degree of freedom (DOF)

The minimum number of independent coordinates required to

completely determine the position of all parts in a system.

m1
β β1
β2 m2

m β3 m3

single DOF system three DOF system

25
 Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

3. Vibration analysis procedures

mathematical modeling

derivation of governing equation

solutions of governing equation

result interpretation

26
 Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

Mathematical model

Represent all the important features of the system for the

derivation of governing equation.

Sometimes a preliminary model is used first and is then refined

by including more components to get a more accurate model.

27
 Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

Main elements in a vibratory system:

mass: store kinetic energy

spring: store potential energy

damper: dissipate energy into heat or sound by a damping

medium or a mechanism).

28
 Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

c k

m: the mass of the passenger

k: the spring constant (stiffness) of the spring
c: the damping constant of the seat
29
Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

A motorbike with a rider

30
 Session 1.1 Vibration: Fundamentals

basic model: refined model:

31
 Session 1.2 Undamped Free Vibration

Derivation of governing equation

Free body diagram: find out all external forces on the system.

use of Newton’s second law or Energy method

Governing equation: usually an ordinary differential equation which

may be linear or nonlinear.

32
 Session 1.2 Undamped Free Vibration

Solution of governing equation

Analytical method, numerical method, etc.

Interpretation of results

Displacement, velocity, acceleration, etc.

33
 Session 1.2 Undamped Free Vibration
4. Equation of motion: Newton’s 2nd Law
4.1 Mass-spring system without damping

Fk: spring force

Fk = kx x

Fk
mg

m N

free body diagram

34
 Session 1.2 Undamped Free Vibration

Note: no need to consider the forces vertical to the direction of

movement since they do not affect the motion of the system.

From Newton’s law

ma = − Fk

mx(t ) + kx(t ) = 0 governing equation of motion

This is the second-order linear ordinary differential equation governing

the motion of the undamped mass-spring system.

35
 Session 1.2 Undamped Free Vibration

This governing equation can be re-written in the form of

x(t ) +  n2 x(t ) = 0
where n = k / m is the natural frequency of the system.

The natural frequency is a function of system parameters only

and is independent of external forces.

36
 Session 1.2 Undamped Free Vibration
4.2 Mass-spring system with damping

Fk: spring force

Fk = kx(t )

Fc: damping force

Fc = cx (t ) x

Fc Fk
Fc is opposite to the velocity direction. mg

free body diagram

37
 Session 1.2 Undamped Free Vibration

From Newton’s law

ma = − Fc − Fk

mx(t ) + cx (t ) + kx(t ) = 0 governing equation of motion

This is the second-order linear ordinary differential equation governing

the motion of the damped mass-spring system.

38