60 Free Vibration Chap.

devices it is possible to use equivalent viscous damping to obtain approximate results for
dynamic response (Chapter 3).
Example 2.8
A small building consists of four steel frames, each with a friction device, supporting a
reinforced-concrete slab, as shown schematically in Fig. E2.8a. The normal force across each
of the spring-loaded friction pads is adjusted to equal 2.5% of the slab weight (Fig. E2.8c).
A record of the building motion in free vibration along the x-axis is shown in Fig. E2.8d.
Determine the effective coefficient of friction.
Solution
1. Assumptions: (a) the weight of the frame is negligible compared to the slab.
(b) Energy dissipation due to mechanisms other than friction is negligible, a reasonable as-
sumption because the amplitude of motion decays linearly with time (Fig. E2.8d).
2. Determine Tn and u F .
4.5 2π
Tn = = 0.5 sec ωn = = 4π
9 0.5
5.5 − 0.1
4u F = = 0.6 in. u F = 0.15 in.
9

(a) (b)
u
p
p 0.025μw
•

Brace α
12′
u
Friction
•

device
16′
• •

(d)
(c)
6
5.5
4
y 2
0.1
u, in.

x 0
R/C slab
weight = w -2

-4

-6
Steel frame 0 1 2 3 4 5
t, sec

Figure E2.8
Chap. 2 Problems 61

3. Determine the coefficient of friction. The friction force along each brace is μ(0.025w)
and its component in the lateral direction is (0.025μw) cos α. The total friction force in the
lateral direction due to the four braces, two in each of the two frames, is
16
F = 4(0.025μw) cos α = (0.1μw) = 0.08μw
20
F 0.08μw 0.08μmg 0.08μg
uF = = = =
k k k ωn2
u F ωn2 0.15(4π )2
μ= = = 0.767
0.08g 0.08g

PROBLEMS

2.1 A heavy table is supported by flat steel legs (Fig. P2.1). Its natural period in lateral vibration
is 0.5 sec. When a 50-lb plate is clamped to its surface, the natural period in lateral vibration
is lengthened to 0.75 sec. What are the weight and the lateral stiffness of the table?

Tn = 0.5 sec Tn = 0.75 sec Figure P2.1

2.2 An electromagnet weighing 400 lb and suspended by a spring having a stiffness of 100 lb/in.
(Fig. P.2.2a) lifts 200 lb of iron scrap (Fig. P2.2b). Determine the equation describing the
motion when the electric current is turned off and the scrap is dropped (Fig. P2.2c).

Figure P2.2
62 Free Vibration Chap. 2

2.3 A mass m is at rest, partially supported by a spring and partially by stops (Fig. P2.3). In
the position shown, the spring force is mg/2. At time t = 0 the stops are rotated, suddenly
releasing the mass. Determine the motion of the mass.

Figure P2.3

2.4 The weight of the wooden block shown in Fig. P2.4 is 10 lb and the spring stiffness is 100
lb/in. A bullet weighing 0.5 lb is fired at a speed of 60 ft/sec into the block and becomes
embedded in the block. Determine the resulting motion u(t) of the block.

vo
m
k
Figure P2.4

2.5 A mass m 1 hangs from a spring k and is in static equilibrium. A second mass m 2 drops
through a height h and sticks to m 1 without rebound (Fig. P2.5). Determine the subsequent
motion u(t) measured from the static equilibrium position of m 1 and k.

m2
•

h
•

m1
Figure P2.5

2.6 The packaging for an instrument can be modeled as shown in Fig. P2.6, in which the instru-
ment of mass m is restrained by springs of total stiffness k inside a container; m = 10 lb/g and
k = 50 lb/in. The container is accidentally dropped from a height of 3 ft above the ground.
Chap. 2 Problems 63

k/2
u
m

k/2

3’

Figure P2.6

Assuming that it does not bounce on contact, determine the maximum deformation of the
packaging within the box and the maximum acceleration of the instrument.
2.7 Consider a diver weighing 200 lb at the end of a diving board that cantilevers out 3 ft. The
diver oscillates at a frequency of 2 Hz. What is the flexural rigidity E I of the diving board?
2.8 Show that the motion of a critically damped system due to initial displacement u(0) and initial
velocity u̇(0) is

u(t) = {u(0) + [u̇(0) + ωn u(0)] t} e−ωn t

2.9 Show that the motion of an overcritically damped system due to initial displacement u(0) and
initial velocity u̇(0) is
 
−ζ ωn t −ωD t ωD t
u(t) = e A1 e + A2 e

where ωD = ωn ζ 2 − 1 and

 
−u̇(0) + −ζ + ζ 2 − 1 ωn u(0)
A1 =
2ωD
 
u̇(0) + ζ + ζ 2 − 1 ωn u(0)
A2 =
2ωD

2.10 Derive the equation for the displacement response of a viscously damped SDF system due to
initial velocity u̇(0) for three cases: (a) underdamped systems; (b) critically damped systems;
and (c) overdamped systems. Plot u(t) ÷ u̇(0)/ωn against t/Tn for ζ = 0.1, 1, and 2.
2.11 For a system with damping ratio ζ , determine the number of free vibration cycles required to
reduce the displacement amplitude to 10% of the initial amplitude; the initial velocity is zero.
2.12 What is the ratio of successive amplitudes of vibration if the viscous damping ratio is known
to be (a) ζ = 0.01, (b) ζ = 0.05, or (c) ζ = 0.25?
2.13 The supporting system of the tank of Example 2.6 is enlarged with the objective of increasing
its seismic resistance. The lateral stiffness of the modified system is double that of the original
system. If the damping coefficient is unaffected (this may not be a realistic assumption),
for the modified tank determine (a) the natural period of vibration Tn , and (b) the damping
ratio ζ .
64 Free Vibration Chap. 2

2.14 The vertical suspension system of an automobile is idealized as a viscously damped SDF sys-
tem. Under the 3000-lb weight of the car the suspension system deflects 2 in. The suspension
is designed to be critically damped.
(a) Calculate the damping and stiffness coefficients of the suspension.
(b) With four 160-lb passengers in the car, what is the effective damping ratio?
(c) Calculate the natural vibration frequency for case (b).
2.15 The stiffness and damping properties of a mass–spring–damper system are to be determined
by a free vibration test; the mass is given as m = 0.1 lb-sec2 /in. In this test the mass is
displaced 1 in. by a hydraulic jack and then suddenly released. At the end of 20 complete
cycles, the time is 3 sec and the amplitude is 0.2 in. Determine the stiffness and damping
coefficients.
2.16 A machine weighing 250 lb is mounted on a supporting system consisting of four springs
and four dampers. The vertical deflection of the supporting system under the weight of the
machine is measured as 0.8 in. The dampers are designed to reduce the amplitude of vertical
vibration to one-eighth of the initial amplitude after two complete cycles of free vibration.
Find the following properties of the system: (a) undamped natural frequency, (b) damping
ratio, and (c) damped natural frequency. Comment on the effect of damping on the natural
frequency.
2.17 Determine the natural vibration period and damping ratio of the aluminum frame model
(Fig. 1.1.4a) from the acceleration record of its free vibration shown in Fig. 1.1.4b.
2.18 Show that the natural vibration frequency of the system in Fig. E1.6a is ωn = ωn (1 −
w/wcr )1/2 , where ωn is the natural vibration frequency computed neglecting the action of
gravity, and wcr is the buckling weight.
2.19 An impulsive force applied to the roof slab of the building of Example 2.8 gives it an initial
velocity of 20 in./sec to the right. How far to the right will the slab move? What is the
maximum displacement of the slab on its return swing to the left?
2.20 An SDF system consisting of a weight, spring, and friction device is shown in Fig. P2.20.
This device slips at a force equal to 10% of the weight, and the natural vibration period of the
system is 0.25 sec. If this system is given an initial displacement of 2 in. and released, what
will be the displacement amplitude after six cycles? In how many cycles will the system come
to rest?

u
F = 0.1w
w
k
Figure P2.20
120 Response to Harmonic and Periodic Excitations Chap. 3

3.2 An SDF system is excited by a sinusoidal force. At resonance the amplitude of displacement
was measured to be 2 in. At an exciting frequency of one-tenth the natural frequency of the
system, the displacement amplitude was measured to be 0.2 in. Estimate the damping ratio of
the system.
3.3 In a forced vibration test under harmonic excitation it was noted that the amplitude of motion
at resonance was exactly four times the amplitude at an excitation frequency 20% higher than
the resonant frequency. Determine the damping ratio of the system.
3.4 A machine is supported on four steel springs for which damping can be neglected. The natural
frequency of vertical vibration of the machine–spring system is 200 cycles per minute. The
machine generates a vertical force p(t) = p0 sin ωt. The amplitude of the resulting steady-
state vertical displacement of the machine is u o = 0.2 in. when the machine is running at 20
revolutions per minute (rpm), 1.042 in. at 180 rpm, and 0.0248 in. at 600 rpm. Calculate the
amplitude of vertical motion of the machine if the steel springs are replaced by four rubber
isolators that provide the same stiffness but introduce damping equivalent to ζ = 25% for the
system. Comment on the effectiveness of the isolators at various machine speeds.
3.5 An air-conditioning unit weighing 1200 lb is bolted at the middle of two parallel simply
supported steel beams (Fig. P3.5). The clear span of the beams is 8 ft. The second mo-
ment of cross-sectional area of each beam is 10 in4 . The motor in the unit runs at 300 rpm
and produces an unbalanced vertical force of 60 lb at this speed. Neglect the weight of the
beams and assume 1% viscous damping in the system; for steel E = 30,000 ksi. Determine
the amplitudes of steady-state deflection and steady-state acceleration (in g’s) of the beams at
their midpoints which result from the unbalanced force.

Air-conditioning unit
Steel beams

4′ 4′
Figure P3.5

3.6 (a) Show that the steady-state response of an SDF system to a cosine force, p(t) = po cos ωt,
is given by
 
po 1 − (ω/ωn ) cos ωt + [2ζ (ω/ωn )] sin ωt
2
u(t) =  2
k 1 − (ω/ω )2 + [2ζ (ω/ω )]2
n n

(b) Show that the maximum deformation due to cosine force is the same as that due to sinu-
soidal force.
3.7 (a) Show that ωr = ωn (1 − 2ζ 2 )1/2 is the resonant frequency for displacement amplitude of
an SDF system.
(b) Determine the displacement amplitude at resonance.
3.8 (a) Show that ωr = ωn (1 − 2ζ 2 )−1/2 is the resonant frequency for acceleration amplitude of
an SDF system.
(b) Determine the acceleration amplitude at resonance.
Chap. 3 Problems 121

3.9 (a) Show that ωr = ωn is the resonant frequency for velocity amplitude of an SDF system.
(b) Determine the velocity amplitude at resonance.

Part B

3.10 A one-story reinforced concrete building has a roof mass of 500 kips/g, and its natural fre-
quency is 4 Hz. This building is excited by a vibration generator with two weights, each 50 lb,
rotating about a vertical axis at an eccentricity of 12 in. When the vibration generator runs
at the natural frequency of the building, the amplitude of roof acceleration is measured to be
0.02g. Determine the damping of the structure.
3.11 The steady-state acceleration amplitude of a structure caused by an eccentric-mass vibration
generator was measured for several excitation frequencies. These data are as follows:

Frequency (Hz) Acceleration (10−3 g) Frequency (Hz) Acceleration (10−3 g)

1.337 0.68 1.500 7.10
1.378 0.90 1.513 5.40
1.400 1.15 1.520 4.70
1.417 1.50 1.530 3.80
1.438 2.20 1.540 3.40
1.453 3.05 1.550 3.10
1.462 4.00 1.567 2.60
1.477 7.00 1.605 1.95
1.487 8.60 1.628 1.70
1.493 8.15 1.658 1.50
1.497 7.60

Determine the natural frequency and damping ratio of the structure.

3.12 Consider an industrial machine of mass m supported on spring-type isolators of total stiffness
k. The machine operates at a frequency of f hertz with a force unbalance po .
(a) Determine an expression giving the fraction of force transmitted to the foundation as a
function of the forcing frequency f and the static deflection δst = mg/k. Consider only the
steady-state response.
(b) Determine the static deflection δst for the force transmitted to be 10% of po if f = 20 Hz.
3.13 For the automobile in Example 3.4, determine the amplitude of the force developed in the
spring of the suspension system when the automobile is traveling at 40 mph.
3.14 Determine the speed of the automobile in Example 3.4 that would produce a resonant condi-
tion for the spring force in the suspension system.
3.15 A vibration isolation block is to be installed in a laboratory so that the vibration from adjacent
factory operations will not disturb certain experiments (Fig. P3.15). If the isolation block
weighs 2000 lb and the surrounding floor and foundation vibrate at 1500 cycles per minute,
122 Response to Harmonic and Periodic Excitations Chap. 3

determine the stiffness of the isolation system such that the motion of the isolation block is
limited to 10% of the floor vibration; neglect damping.

Isolation block

Figure P3.15

3.16 An SDF system is subjected to support displacement u g (t) = u go sin ωt. Show that the
amplitude u to of the total displacement of the mass is given by Eq. (3.6.5).
3.17 The natural frequency of an accelerometer is 50 Hz, and its damping ratio is 70%. Com-
pute the recorded acceleration as a function of time if the input acceleration is ü g (t) =
0.1g sin 2πft for f = 10, 20, and 40 Hz. A comparison of the input and recorded
accelerations was presented in Fig. 3.7.3. The accelerometer is calibrated to read the input
acceleration correctly at very low values of the excitation frequency. What would be the error
in the measured amplitude at each of the given excitation frequencies?
3.18 An accelerometer has the natural frequency f n = 25 Hz and damping ratio ζ = 60%. Write an
equation for the response u(t) of the instrument as a function of time if the input acceleration
is ü g (t) = ü go sin 2π f t. Sketch the ratio ωn2 u o /ü go as a function of f / f n . The accelerom-
eter is calibrated to read the input acceleration correctly at very low values of the excitation
frequency. Determine the range of frequencies for which the acceleration amplitude can be
measured with an accuracy of ±1%. Identify this frequency range on the above-mentioned
plot.
3.19 The natural frequency of an accelerometer is f n = 50 Hz, and its damping ratio is ζ = 70%.
Solve Problem 3.18 for this accelerometer.
3.20 If a displacement-measuring instrument is used to determine amplitudes of vibration at fre-
quencies very much higher than its own natural frequency, what would be the optimum instru-
ment damping for maximum accuracy?
3.21 A displacement meter has a natural frequency f n = 0.5 Hz and a damping ratio ζ = 0.6.
Determine the range of frequencies for which the displacement amplitude can be measured
with an accuracy of ±1%.
3.22 Repeat Problem 3.21 for ζ = 0.7.
3.23 Show that the energy dissipated per cycle for viscous damping can be expressed by

πpo2 2ζ (ω/ωn )
ED =
k 1 − (ω/ω )2 2 + [2ζ (ω/ω )]2

n n

3.24 Show that for viscous damping the loss factor ξ is independent of the amplitude and propor-
tional to the frequency.
Chap. 3 Problems 123

Part C

3.25 The properties of the SDF system of Fig. P2.20 are as follows: w = 500 kips, F = 50 kips,
and Tn = 0.25 sec. Determine an approximate value for the displacement amplitude due to
harmonic force with amplitude 100 kips and period 0.30 sec.

Part D

3.26 An SDF system with natural period Tn and damping ratio ζ is subjected to the periodic force
shown in Fig. P3.26 with an amplitude po and period T0 .
(a) Expand the forcing function in its Fourier series.
(b) Determine the steady-state response of an undamped system. For what values of T0 is the
solution indeterminate?
(c) For T0 /Tn = 2, determine and plot the response to individual terms in the Fourier series.
How many terms are necessary to obtain reasonable convergence of the series solution?

po

t
−To −To/2 0 To/2 To 2To Figure P3.26