UNIT- III

FREE VIBRATION

1. INTRODUCTION:
 Any motion which repeats itself after an interval of time is called
vibration or periodic motion
 When a system is subjected to an initial disturbance and then left
free to vibrate on its own, the resulting vibrations are referred to as
free vibrations .

ILLUSTRATION :
 Consider a spring mass system constrained to
move in Rectilinear manner along the axis of
the spring.
 When the mass is displaced from its equilibrium
position A, the internal forces in the form of
elastic or strain energy are present in the body and
hence reaches position B.
 After release , these forces bring the mass to its
original position..
 At equilibrium position A, the whole of the
Strain energy is converted into kinetic energy
And mass continues to move in opposite
direction to position C.
 At C, whole of the kinetic energy is converted
into strain energy and the body again returns to
equilibrium position at A.
2. CAUSES OF VIBRATION:
Unbalanced forces: This is basically in reference to the rotating bodies. These
forces are produced from within the machine itself.
Misalignment: This is an other major cause of vibration particularly in machines
that are driven by motors or any other prime movers.
Bent Shaft: A rotating shaft that is bent also produces the vibrating effect since
it losses it rotation capability about its center.
 Gears in the machine: The gears in the machine always tend to produce
vibration, mainly due to their meshing. Though this may be controlled to some
extent, any problem in the gearbox tends to get enhanced with ease.
Elastic nature of the system:
Winds
Earthquakes also cause vibrations and responsible for failure of dams , many
buildings.

3. Effects of vibration:
(a)Bad Effects:
The presence of vibration in any mechanical system produces unwanted noise,
high stresses, poor reliability, wear and premature failure of parts. Vibrations are a
great source of human discomfort in the form of physical and mental strains.
(b)Good Effects:
A vibration does useful work in musical instruments, vibrating screens, shakers,
relive pain in physiotherapy.
4. METHODS OF REDUCTION OF VIBRATION:
 -unbalance is its main cause, so balancing of parts is necessary.
 -using shock absorbers.
 -using dynamic vibration absorbers.
 -providing the screens (if noise is to be reduced)
5. TYPES OF VIBRATORY MOTION:

ACCORDING TO THE ACTUATING FORCE:

1. Free or Natural Vibration:

This is defined as when no external force acts on the body, after giving it an initial
displacement, then the body is said to be under free or natural vibration.

The frequency of free or natural vibration is called free or natural frequency.

2. Forced Vibrations:

When the body vibrates under the influence of external force, the body is said to
under forced vibrations.

The external force is applied to the body is a periodic distributing force created by
unbalance.

This has the same frequency as the applied force.

3. Damped Vibration:

When there is a reduction in amplitude over every cycle of vibration, the motion is
said to be damped vibration.

If the vibratory system has a damper, the motion of the system will be opposed
by it and the energy of the system will be dissipated.
If the damper is connected with free vibrating body to control vibrations it is
called free damped vibration.
If the damper is connected with forced vibrating body to control vibrations it is
called as force damped vibration
4. Undamped vibration:
If no energy is lost in friction or other resisting force during vibration, it is
known as undamped vibration.The system having no damper produces
undamped vibration.
ACCORDING TO MOTION OF THE SYSTEM WITH RESPECT TO
AXIS:
(a)Longitudinal vibration (b)Transverse Vibration ( c)Torsional Vibration.
Longitudinal Vibration:
When the particles of the shaft or disc moves parallel to the axis of the shaft, then
the vibrations known as longitudinal vibrations.
Transverse Vibration:
When the particles of the shaft or disc moves approximately perpendicular to the
axis of the shaft, then the vibrations known as transverse vibrations.

3. Torsional Vibration:
When the particles of the shaft or disc move in a circle about the axis of the shaft,
then the vibrations known as torsional vibrations.
6. TERMS USED VIBRATORY MOTION:
(a)Time period (or)period of vibration:
It is the time taken by a vibrating body to repeat the motion itself.time period is
usually expressed in seconds.
(b) Cycle:
It is the motion completed in one time period.
(c) Periodic motion:
A motion which repeats itself after equal interval of time.
(d)Amplitude (X)
 The maximum displacement of a vibrating body from the mean position.it is
usually expressed in millimeter.
(e) Frequency (f)
The number of cycles completed in one second is called frequency
7. DEGREES OF FREEDOM:
The minimum number of independent coordinates required to specify the motion
of a system at any instant is known as D.O.F of the system.
ZERO DEGREE OF FREEDOM : The body at rest, no co ordinates are
required to specify motion of a system
SINGLE DEGREE OF FREEDOM : There is only one independent coordinate
to specify the configuration

TWO DEGREE OF FREEDOM : There are two independent coordinate to

specify the configuration.
8. NATURAL FREQUENCY OF FREE UNDAMPED
LONGITUDINAL VIBRATION:
1.Equilibrium method or Newton ’ s method :
2.Energy Method
In free vibrations, no energy is transferred into the system or from the system.
Therefore, the total energy (sum of KE and PE)is constant and is same all the
times.
 3. Rayleigh’s method
In this method, the maximum kinetic energy at mean position is made equal to the
maximum potential energy at the extreme position.
DETERMINATION OF EQUIVALENT SPRING STIFFNESS
SPRINGS IN SERIES
 DAMPING
It is the resistance to the motion of a vibrating body. The vibrations
associated with this resistance are known as damped vibrations.
Types of damping:
(1) Viscous damping
(2) Dry friction or coulomb damping
(3) Solid damping or structural damping
(4) Slip or interfacial
14 TORSIONAL VIBRATION:

When the particles of the shaft or disc move in a circle about the axis of the shaft,
then the vibrations known as tensional vibration
 DISPLACEMENT TIME PLOT FOR VARIOUS TYPES
OF DAMPING CONDITIONS

Torsional vibration of a two rotor system:

Torsional vibration of a single rotor system:

LOGARITHMIC DECREMENT

 The natural logarithm of the amplitude reduction factor.

 It is the ratio of any two successive amplitudes on same side of mean

position in an under damped system.

 The ratio of any two successive amplitudes is constant in under damped

system.

 The displacement in an under damped system is given by

NATURAL FREQUENCY OF FREE TRANSVERSE VIBRATIONS FOR VARIOUS
BEAMS
Critical speed
1. When ω = ωn , y will be infinity
Rotor rotates violently with large amplitude.
2. When ω < ωn , y will be positive.
Rotor rotates with heavy side outwards.
 3. When ω > ωn , y will be negative , Rotor rotates with light side
outwards.

4. When ω >> ωn , y becomes -e , Rotor rotates about its C.G.

NATURAL FREQUENCY OF FREE TRANSVERSE VIBRATIONS FOR A
SHAFT CARRYING SEVERAL LOADS
NATURAL FREQUENCY OF FREE TORSIONAL VIBRATION
TORSIONALLY EQUIVALENT SHAFT
 FREE TORSIONAL VIBRATIONS OF A TWO ROTOR SYSTEM
CASE I : WHEN TWO ROTORS ROTATE IN THE SAME
DIRECTION
If two rotors A and B rotate or twist in same direction, then there will
not be any torsional vibrations. The system will only rotate. Also since
the amplitudes of vibrations on both end will be in same direction, there
will not be any node. The shaft is said to vibrate with zero frequency
CASE II : WHEN TWO ROTORS ROTATE IN THE OPPOSITE
DIRECTION
When two rotors A and B rotate or twist in opposite direction then the
system will vibrate torsionally. Because some length of the shaft is
twisted in one direction, while the rest is twisted in other direction. In
between these two ends , some portion of the section is not twisted. It is
called nodal section. The node is shown by the point N
 FREE TORSIONAL VIBRATIONS OF A THREE
ROTOR SYSTEM
When the shaft carries three rotors A , B and C . The rotors A and C are
attached to the ends of the shaft while rotor B is attached in between A
and C. The vibrations are torsional in nature. The torsional vibrations
occur in three ways.

1. TWO ALTERNATIVE ROTORS ROTATE IN SAME DIRECTION

AND MIDDLE ROTOR ROTATE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Let the rotors A and C rotate in the same direction and rotor B in
opposite direction. Two nodes N1 and N2 will occur.
On substituting the value of lA in the above equation, a quadratic equation in lC is
obtained. Therefore there are two values of lC and two values of lA.
 a. Two node frequency : One set of values given by the equation gives position of
two nodes. The frequency so obtained is known as two node frequency.

b. Single node frequency : In other set of values , one gives the position of a
single and the other is beyond the physical limits, the frequency so obtained is
known as single node frequency.

2. TWO CONSECUTIVE ROTORS ROTATE IN SAME DIRECTION AND

OTHER ROTOR ROTATE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

When two rotors A and B rotate in the same direction and rotor C in opposite direction, there will be
single node for torsional vibrations. It lies between rotors B and C. since l A > l1 , it does not give the
actual position
 When two rotors B and C rotate in the same direction and rotor A in opposite
direction, there will be single node for torsional vibrations. It lies between rotors A
and B. since lC > l2 , it does not give the actual position

3. ALL THE THREE ROTORS ROTATE IN THE SAME DIRECTION

When all the three rotors A , B and C rotate in the same direction, then there will
not be any torsional vibration, the system will only rotate. There will not be any
node and the shaft is said to vibrate with zero frequency.