ME 143 – Mechanical Vibrations – Syllabus

Second Semester 2020-2021

Instructor: Assistant Professor Paul Rodgers, Mechanical Engineering Department

College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman, QC
E-mail: paul.rodgers@upd.edu.ph
paul112464@yahoo.com

Course Description:
Free and forced vibrations of damped and undamped systems and their response to different types of external
forcing functions. Single and multi-degree of freedom systems: natural frequencies, mode shapes, modal analysis.
Shock absorber, tuned mass dampers and other devices.

Text: Engineering Vibrations, by D. Inman, Prentice Hall, 2001

Mechanical Vibrations by S. Graham Kelly SI Edition, Global Engineering 2012

Course Objectives:
This course introduces techniques in modelling discrete and continuous mechanical systems and their vibrations,
setting up their equations of motion in differential form, free and forced, and damped response analysis. Linear
superposition and modal analysis are used to analyze and solve time and frequency domain solutions that indicate
the behavior of these systems. Case studies shall be done to demonstrate how the theory can be applied to real world
vibration problems. The vibration problem is approached first from a discrete spring and mass model, covering free,
damped, and forced systems. The same principles are used to analyse non spring and mass systems, which, while
having a more complicated geometry, are very similar to spring and mass systems and solved with the same
methods. At the end of the course, some discussion shall be made on continuous systems. Course objectives are as
follows:
(1) Formulate mathematical models of vibration systems using Newton's second law or energy principles,
(2) Determine a complete solution to the modeled mechanical vibration problems.
(3) Determine the characteristics of a vibrating system such as natural frequency, modes of vibration, and express
the system response as an equation.
(4) Correlate results from the mathematical model to physical characteristics of the actual system.

Syllabus, Modules and Grading Scale

 Discrete Systems
I. Spring and Mass Systems Module Grade
A. Single Degree of Freedom Systems (SDOF)
1. Free Vibration Module 1
2. Damped Vibration Module 2
3. Forced Undamped Vibration Module 3
4. Forced Damped Vibration Module 4
Transient and Steady State Response
Periodic Excitation, Impulse Response & Random Vibration
B. Multi-Degree Freedom Systems (MDOF) Spring and Mass Systems
1. Free Vibration Module 5
2. Damped Vibration Module 6
3. Forced Undamped Vibration Module 7 3.00
4. Forced Damped Vibration Module 8 2.50
Transient and Steady State Response
Periodic Excitation, Impulse Response & Random Vibration
5. Tuned Mass Dampers Module 9 2.25
II. Non-spring & mass Systems (Torsion Systems, Beams, Compound Systems)
1. Free Vibration Module 10 2.00
2. Damped Vibration Module 11 1.75
3. Forced Undamped Vibration Module 12 1.50
4. Forced Damped Vibration Module 13 1.25
Transient and Steady State Response
Periodic Excitation, Impulse Response & Random Vibration
 Continuous Systems Module 14 1.00
Solutions approach. Response of continuous systems

Exercises and Computer Use:

The course contains 14 modules. After lectures are conducted, students must take a module quizzes. Students start with
Module 1 and may proceed to the next module only by passing the previous module. Students earn a passing grade once
Module 7 is passed, and succeeding Modules passed will entitle the student to a grade indicated in the scale. Computer
exercises or programming exercises may be given in place of the Module Quizzes.

Academic Freedom and Integrity:

Students are expected to conduct themselves with high academic integrity. Any incident of cheating will be reported to the
college and university committee on academic integrity.