(13) DissipationandDampedOscillators

1 Dissipation
We’ve been trying to ignore it, but in the real world there is friction. Friction
meansthatmechanicalenergyisconvertedtothermalenergy, andwenolonger
havea‘conservative’system.Butwecantry.
Ratherthan juststartwith adampedoscillation (as in eqn25.1 in LL), I will
motivateamodified Euler-Lagrange equationwhichincludesdissipation,andthen
usethistoarriveatdampedoscillations.
Imaginesomefractionofkineticenergyiscoupletothermalenergyperunit
time.
Z
L0 (q, q̇) = (T + Tµ ) − U = L + T dt

   
Z 
d ∂L0 d ∂L
d ∂
= + (T ) dt
dt ∂q̇ dt ∂q̇
dt ∂q̇
 
d ∂L
∂ ∂L0
= +
(T ) =
dt ∂q̇
∂q̇ ∂q
∂L0 ∂L
givenuniform suchthat =
∂q ∂q
 
d ∂L ∂L ∂
⇒ = − (T )
dt ∂q̇ ∂q ∂q̇
GeneralizingT toanyvelocitydependentfunction,
1X
Let D = bjk q̇j q̇k “dissipativefunction”
2
j,k

or,foronedegreeoffreedom,simply
1
D = bq̇ 2
2

1
 modifiedE-L
d ∂L ∂L ∂D
= −
dt ∂q̇ ∂q ∂q̇
 
∂L
suchthat ṗ = − bq̇
∂q

where ∂L
∂q istheconservativeforce,andbq̇ isthedissipativeforce.
Damped systems lose energy with time until they come to rest. The rate of
energyloss is given bythedissipationfunction.

 
dE d ∂L
= q̇ −L
dt dt ∂q̇
   
d ∂L ∂L ∂L ∂L ∂L
= q̇ + q̈ − + q̇ + q̈
dt ∂q̇ ∂q̇ ∂t ∂q ∂q̇
   
d ∂L ∂L
= q̇ − normallyzero,but...
dt ∂q̇ ∂q
dE ∂D
= −q̇ = −2D
dt ∂q̇

Notethatthelastlineisjusttherateofworkdonebyfrictionasforce× velocity.
∂L
Allofthisisassumingnoexternaldrivingforce(i.e., ∂t = 0).

2 Damped Oscillator
Let’sputthistoworkonourharmonicoscillatortomakeamorerealisticdamped
oscillator.

1 1
for L = mẋ 2 − kx 2
2 2
1 2
and D = bẋ
2

2
theequationsofmotionare

k
mẍ = −kx − bẋ, ω02 =
m
or
b
ẍ + 2λẋ + ω02 x = 0, 2λ =
m
This differentialequation is best solved with complex exponentials, but thesolution
canbewritteninrealformas

“underdamped”
x (t) = ae−λt cos (ω1 t + φ) for λ < ω 0
q
where ω 1 = ω02 − λ2

“overdamped”
�

x (t) = e−λt a1 eβt + a2 e−βt for λ < ω 0
q
where β= λ2 − ω02 , note β < λ ⇒ decay

3
 “criticallydamped”
x (t) = e−λt (a1 + a2 t) for λ = ω 0

To complete the picture, we should add a driving force to our dampedoscillator.

Returningtotheequationofmotion...

ẍ + 2λẋ + ω02 x = Fm(t) = m

f
cos (ωt)
⇒ x (t) = a1 e−λt cos (ω0 t + φ) + a2 cos (ωt + θ)

f
a2 = q
2
m (ω 2 − ω02 ) + 4λ2 ω 2
2λω
tan θ = 2
ω − ω02

wherea 1 andφ comefromtheinitialconditions

Again,thedrivensolutionhas 2 parts,onethatdependsontheinitialconditions
andanotherwhich is theresponse to the drive. Withdamping, weseethat thefirst
1
ofthesedecayswithtime,suchthatthemotionatt  isessentiallyonlythe
λ
drivenresponse.

4
 1
x (t) ' a2 cos (ωt + θ) for t  (1)
λ
x (t) a2
→ = (2)
F (t) f

TransferFunctions