ME354A: Vibration and Control

Sunday 5th February, 2023

Assignment 3
Problem 1. A double pendulum consists of two equal masses m, hanging on weightless
strings of length l each (see Fig. 1). In addition to gravity, there are two mechanical springs
of stiffness k. The equilibrium position is a vertical line. Set up the differential equations of
motion carefully and calculate the two natural frequencies for small oscillations.

Figure 1: Spring corrected double pendulum

Problem 2. Find the free-vibration solution of the unrestrained system shown in Fig. 2
for the following data: m1 = 1 kg, m2 = 2 kg, k = 200 N/m, x1 (0)= 0.1 m, x2 (0) = 0, and
x˙1 (0) = x˙2 (0) = 0.

Figure 2: Unrestrained spring-mass system

Problem 3. (i) Write the equation of motions showing the system in Fig. 3 being dy-
namically coupled and decoupled.
(ii) Determine the normal mode of vibration of an automobile shown in Fig. 3 modeled
by a simplified two degree of freedom system with the following numerical values:

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 m = 1460 kg, l1 = 1.35m, l2 = 2.65 m, k1 = 4.2x105 N/m, k2 = 4.55x105 N/m and
J = mr2 where r= 1.22 m.

Figure 3: Simplified car model

Problem 4. An airfoil of mass m is suspended by a linear spring of stiffness k and a torsional

spring of stiffness kt in a wind tunnel, as shown in Fig. 4. The center of gravity is located
at a distance of e from point O. The mass moment of inertia of the airfoil about an axis
passing through point O is J0 . Find the natural frequencies of the airfoil.

Figure 4: Airfoil in wind tunnel

Problem 5. In Fig. 5, a massless rope passes over a circular cylinder and does not slip
during motion. The assembly is in its equilibrium position when the spring k1 is unstretched,
and mass m2 has acquired static equilibrium under the influence of gravity. All subsequent
motions happen from this state of the system. Now, for the given system parameters, do the
following:

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 Figure 5: Spring-mass-pulley system

(i) Identify suitable degrees of freedom. Draw neat free-body diagrams and derive the
equations of motion.

(ii) For r = 17.29π m, k1 = k2 = 1 N/m, and m1 = m2 = 1 kg, find the natural frequencies
and the mode shapes of the system.

(iii) If the cylinder is subjected to a harmonic torque of T (t) = 10 sin(t), determine the
amplitude of oscillation of m2 .

Problem 6. An electric motor of mass 20 kg and operating speed 1350 rpm is placed on a
fixed-fixed steel beam of width 15 cm and depth 1.2 cm, as shown in Fig. 6. The motor has a
rotating unbalance of 0.1 kg-m. The beam’s amplitude of vibration under the motor’s steady-
state operation is suppressed by attaching an undamped vibration absorber underneath the
motor. Determine the absorber’s mass and stiffness such that the absorber’s amplitude is
less than 2 cm.

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Figure 6: Vibration absorber for a motor with unbalance