Natural Frequency of System

considering mass of the spring

Rayleigh’s Method

Spring of length “L” stiffness “K” and density “ρ” per

unit length(kg/m)

If the free end of the spring has displacement “x”

displacement at any distance y from fixed end is
y
x
L
Note: when y = L, displacement = x
 Kinetic energy of system
kinetic energy of mass + kinetic energy of spring
spring element “dy”

mass of spring element = ρ × dy

y dx
velocity of element =
L dt

kinetic energy of element

2
1 y dx
× ( ρ × dy) × ( )
2 L dt

total kinetic energy of spring

2
1 y dx
× ( ρ × dy) × ( )
2 L dt

2
1 1 dx
× ρ × 2 × ( ) {L3 − 0 }
6 L dt
2
1 dx
×ρ×( ) × L
6 dt
 maximum kinetic energy
simple harmonic motion of mass

x = A sin ω t
dx
= A ω cos ω t
dt

maximum velocity

dx
{ }
dt max
= A ω

maximum kinetic energy of spring

2
1 dx
×ρ×( ) × L
6 dt max

1
× ρ × ( A ω )2 × L
6
 maximum kinetic energy of mass
2
1 dx
×m×( )
2 dt max

1
× m × ( A ω )2
2

max. kinetic energy = max. kinetic energy of spring +

max. kinetic energy of mass

1 1
× ρ × ( A ω )2 × L + × m × ( A ω)2
6 2

1 ρ× L
2
( A ω)
2
{3
+m }
ρ × L = m spring

1 mspring
2
( A ω)
2
{ 3
+m }
 maximum potential energy will be at
maximum spring deflection A

maximum potential energy

1
× K × ( A)2
2

By Rayleigh’s method

maximum kinetic energy = maximum potential energy

1 mspring 1
2
( A ω)
2
{ 3 }
+ m = × K × ( A)
2
2

K
ω2 =
mspring
{ 3
+m }
Natural Frequency

1 K
fn =
2 π
√{ mspring
3
+m }
 Natural frequency
considering mass of the shaft

Longitudinal Vibration

ms = mass of shaft per unit length

The analysis is same as that of

natural frequency considering mass of spring

1 K
fn =
2 π
√{ mshaft
3
+m }
 Transverse Vibration

ms = mass of shaft per unit length

defection of shaft at free end under weight W

3
Wl
δ=
3 EI
displacement of shaft at free end

displacement at any distance “x” from free end

2 3 3
3 l x − x Wl
δx = 3
×
2 l 3 EI

2 3
3 l x − x
δx = 3
×x
2 l

velocity at distance x
 2 3
3 l x −x dx
3
×
2 l dt
mass of element
m s × dx

kinetic energy of element

2
1 3 l x2 − x3 dx
2
(ms × dx)
{ 2 l3
×
dt }
Total kinetic energy
 considering the above kinetic energy equation

33
A mass of { }M
140 s has to be added to the mass

attached at free end to consider mass of the shaft

1 K
fn =
2 π
√{ 33
140 } M +m
s
 Springs in series

springs in series experience same force but

undergo different different deflection

Under force F
deflection of spring 1 of stiffness k1 = F / k1
deflection of spring 2 of stiffness k2 = F / k2

total deflection = F/k1 + F/k2

equivalent spring of stiffness Keq

that produces same deflection under same fore F

F = Keq {F/k1 + F/k2}

F/Keq = F/k1 + F/k2

1/Keq = 1/k1 + 1/k2

 Springs in Parallel

case 1
Each spring supports part of the load but
undergo same deflection

for same deflection x

force F1 on spring 1 of stiffness K1 = K1 x

force F2 on spring2 of stiffness K2 = K2 x

force required by equivalent spring to

undergo same deflection x

F1 + F2 = Keq x

K1 x + K2 x = Keq x

Keq = K1 + K2
case 2: springs support part of load and undergo
different deflections

Let F = 1

Force F applied at P will be shared by two springs

FA + FB = F

Force on spring A
 Force on spring B

Deflection for spring A

Deflection for spring B

Deflection at point P
equivalent spring constant at point P