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ENGINEERING MECHANICS

4
FREE VIBRATIONS OF
UNDAMPED SDOF SYSTEM

1. INTRODUCTION

Vibration is the oscillations of a particle or a body about an equilibrium point. Vibration in a

structure may result from environmental forces such as wind, earthquake etc. or some external
devices such as machines.
The vibrations are of two types:
(a) Free Vibrations
(b) Forced Vibrations
(a) Free Vibrations: Free vibrations occurs when the body is subjected to some initial
displacement or velocity and it vibrates freely without the influence of any external force.
(b) Forced Vibrations: These type of vibrations takes place under the action of external
forces.

2. ANALYTICAL MODEL

The model consists of three elements

The mass element (m) which represents the weight of the body
The spring element (k) which represents stiffness of the body
The damping coefficient (c) which represents energy dissipation characteristics of the body.

3. SINGLE DEGREE OF FREEDOM SYSTEM

The number of independent coordinates required to determine the position of all parts of a
system at any instant is defined as degree of freedom. A system will have single degree of
freedom if only one independent coordinate is required to determine the position of all parts of
the system. The example of single degree of freedom structure is as shown below:

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3.1. Free Vibration of Single Degree of Freedom System

Case 1: When the system is undamped

The free body diagram is

Using equation of motion

⇒ 𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑘𝑢 = 0
𝑘
𝑢=0⇒ 𝑢̈ +
𝑚
Which is a second order differential equation the solution of which is given as
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑛 (𝜔𝑛 𝑡 + 𝜙)
Where,
𝑘
ωn is the natural circular frequency of vibration and is equal to √
𝑚

ϕ is the phase difference

𝜔𝑛 1 𝑘
Natural frequency 𝑓𝑛 = = √
2𝜋 2𝜋 𝑚

1 𝑚
Natural time period of vibrations 𝑇𝑛 = = 2𝜋√
𝑓𝑛 𝑘

Time history of undamped free vibration is

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Case 2: When the system is damped

The free body diagram of the above system is

Writing equation of motion

𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑐𝑢̇ + 𝑘𝑢 = 0
𝑐 𝑘
⇒ 𝑢̈ + 𝑢̇ + 𝑢 = 0
𝑚 𝑚
𝑢̈ + 2𝜉𝜔𝑛 𝑢̇ + 𝜔𝑛2 𝑢 = 0
Where,
𝑐
𝜉= is the damping ratio.
2𝑚𝜔𝑛

𝑘
𝜔𝑛 = √ is the natural circular frequency.
𝑚

Solving the equation, we get

𝑢(0) + 𝜉𝜔𝑛 𝑢(0)
𝑥 = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 𝑡 [𝑢(0) cos 𝜔𝐷 𝑡 + sin 𝜔𝐷 𝑡]
𝜔𝐷
Where,

𝜔𝐷 = 𝜔𝑛 √1 − 𝜉 2
Here, ωD is damped natural circular frequency.
If ξ < 1, the system is underdamped. In this case amplitude does not remain constant
and decreases exponentially.
If ξ > 1, the system is overdamped. The system will not vibrate if it is overdamped.
If ξ = 1 then the system is critically damped. In this case the body once displaced comes
into equilibrium position much faster than overdamped system.
𝐶𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 = 2𝑚𝜔𝑛 = 2√𝑚𝑘
which is the minimum damping coefficient required to stop the oscillations, known as
critical damping ratio and the system is known as critically damped system.

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Logarithmic Decrement: The natural logarithmic of the ratio of any two successive peak
amplitude is known as logarithmic decrement (δ)
𝑦1
𝛿 = ln = 2𝜋𝜉√1 − 𝜉 2
𝑦2
Time history of damped vibration:

Example: The structure shown in Figure is released from an initial displacement of 1 cm

with an initial velocity of -5 cm/sec. Compute the natural frequency, damping ratio and
the damped natural frequency of the system.

Sol.
1 𝑘 1 20000
The undamped natural frequency 𝑓0 = √ = ×√ = 0.71 𝐻𝑧
2𝜋 𝑚 2𝜋 1000

𝑐 1000
Damping ratio 𝜉 = = = 0.118
2√𝑘𝑚 2√20000×1000

Damped natural frequency 𝑓𝑑 = 𝑓0 √1 − 𝜉 2 = 0.71√1 − (0.118)2 = 0.70 𝐻𝑧

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3.2. Spring Block System:

System Equivalent Stiffness

k1+k2

𝑘1 𝑘2
𝑘1 + 𝑘2

k1+k2

Example: Find equivalent stiffness of the system

Sol.
The system can be reduced to

So, the equivalent stiffness

𝑘𝑘1
𝑘𝑒𝑞 =
𝑘 + 𝑘1
Example: Find the natural frequency and time period of the system shown in the figure
below

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Sol.
3𝐸𝐼 3×500 𝑘𝑁
Stiffness of the beam (K b) = = = 12 = 12000 𝑁/𝑚
𝐿3 125 𝑚
𝐾𝑏 𝐾𝑠 12000×2000
Equivalent stiffness (Keq) = = = 1714.28 𝑁/𝑚
𝐾𝑏 +𝐾𝑠 12000+2000

Thus,
1 𝐾 1 1714.28
Natural frequency 𝑓 = √ = √ = 2.08 𝐻𝑧
2𝜋 𝑚 2𝜋 10

1 1
Time period of vibration 𝑇 = = = 0.48 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑓 2.08

3.3. Forced Vibration of Single Degree of Freedom System

Case 1: When the system is undamped

Consider the loading as shown above. The equation of motion is

𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑘𝑢 = 𝑓0 sin 𝜔𝑡
The solution of the above equation is
𝑓0 1
𝑥(𝑡) = 𝐴 cos 𝜔𝑛 𝑡 + 𝐵 sin 𝜔𝑛 𝑡 + sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑘 1 − (𝜔/𝜔𝑛 )2
Case 2: When the system is damped

The equation of motion for the above system of loading is

𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑐𝑢̇ + 𝑘𝑢 = 𝑓0 sin 𝜔𝑡
The solution of above equation is
𝑓0 1
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 𝑡 (𝐶1 sin 𝜔𝑑 𝑡 + 𝐶2 cos 𝜔𝑑 𝑡) + [(1 − 𝛽 2 ) sin 𝜔𝑡 − 2𝜉𝛽 cos 𝜔𝑡]
𝑘 (1 − 𝛽 2 )2 + (2𝜉𝛽)2
Where,
𝑐
ξ is the damping ratio equal to .
𝑐𝑐𝑟

ωd is damped natural circular frequency

𝜔
β is the magnificent ratio equal to .
𝜔𝑛
1
Magnification factor 𝐷 =
2 2 2
√[1−( 𝜔 ) ] +(2𝜉𝜔)
𝜔𝑛 𝜔𝑛

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Duhamel Integral: When a system is subjected to general loading as shown in the figure
below, it can be assumed as a train of load pulse each of very small duration.

Consider a pulse of duration dτ occurring at t=τ duration. The response of the pulse at
𝑡 = 𝑡̅ duration is
𝑄0 (𝜏)𝑑𝜏
𝑑𝑢(𝑡̅) = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 (𝑡−𝜏) sin 𝜔𝑑 (𝑡̅ − 𝜏)
𝑚𝜔𝑑
The response induced by the entire train of load pulses can be obtained by summing the
responses of all of the individual pulses up to the time 𝑡 = 𝑡̅
𝑡̅
1
𝑢(𝑡) = ∫ 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 (𝑡−𝜏) 𝑄0 (𝜏) sin 𝜔𝑑 (𝑡̅ − 𝜏)𝑑𝜏
𝑚𝜔𝑑 0
This equation describing the response of a linear system is known as Duhamel's integral.
In case if the system is subjected to no damping,
𝑡̅
1
𝑢(𝑡) = ∫ 𝑄0 (𝜏) sin 𝜔𝑛 (𝑡̅ − 𝜏)𝑑𝜏
𝑚𝜔𝑛 0
Example: Using Duhamel’s integral, determine the response of an SDF system, assumed
to be initially at rest subjected to a step force, p(t) = p o, t ≥ 0
𝑡 𝜏=𝑡
𝑝0 𝑝0 cos 𝜔𝑛 (𝑡 − 𝜏) 𝑝0
𝑢(𝑡) = ∫ sin 𝜔𝑛 (𝑡 − 𝜏)𝑑𝜏 = [ ] = (1 − cos 𝜔𝑛 𝑡)
𝑚𝜔𝑛 0 𝑚𝜔𝑛 𝜔𝑛 𝜏=0
𝑘
Example: If a damped SDOF system subjected to a step load of intensity, Qo, which is
applied instantaneously at t = 0 and removed instantaneously at 𝑡 = 𝑡̅
The equation of motion is
𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑐𝑢̇ + 𝑘𝑢 = 𝑄0 ; 0 < 𝑡 ≤ 𝑡̅
{
𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑐𝑢̇ + 𝑘𝑢 = 0 ; 𝑡 > 𝑡̅
The general solution to the step loading problem for 𝑡 ≤ 𝑡̅ can then be written as
𝑄0
𝑢(𝑡) = + 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 𝑡 (𝐶1 sin 𝜔𝑑 𝑡 + 𝐶2 cos 𝜔𝑑 𝑡)
𝑘

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The system will be subjected to free vibration at 𝑡 > 𝑡̅ with no external load acting to it.
Let the displacement and velocity at t=0 are 𝑢0 and 𝑢0̇ respectively then at t=0
𝑄0 𝑄0
𝑢0 = + 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 (0) (𝐶1 sin 𝜔𝑑 (0) + 𝐶2 cos 𝜔𝑑 (0)) = + 𝐶2
𝑘 𝑘
𝑢0̇ = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 (0) (𝜔𝑑 𝐶1 cos 𝜔𝑑 (0) − 𝜔𝑑 𝐶2 sin 𝜔𝑑 (0)) − 𝜉𝜔𝑛 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 (0) (𝐶1 sin 𝜔𝑑 (0) + 𝐶2 cos 𝜔𝑑 (0))
= 𝜔𝑑 𝐶1 − 𝜉𝜔𝑛 𝐶2
From which,
𝑄0⁄
𝑢0̇ + 𝜉𝜔𝑛 (𝑢0 − 𝑘)
𝐶1 =
𝜔𝑑
𝑄0
𝐶2 = 𝑢0 −
𝑘
So,
𝑄0⁄
𝑄0 𝑢0̇ + 𝜉𝜔𝑛 (𝑢0 − 𝑘) 𝑄0
𝑢(𝑡) = + 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑛 𝑡 ( sin 𝜔𝑑 𝑡 + (𝑢0 − ) cos 𝜔𝑑 𝑡)
𝑘 𝜔𝑑 𝑘

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