Faculty of Maritime Engineering and Marine Sciences

Mechanical Vibrations

Assignment #5: Various dof systems Nov. 28th, 2023

Individual work.

1.- A system composed by a mass M and two springs of rigidity

K/2 (just for aesthetics) suffers severe oscillation due to a
harmonic excitation. An auxiliary system consisting of a block of
mass M1 is connected to the primary system by a spring of rigidity
K1. The auxiliary system can be used as a vibration absorber if the
parameters M1 and K2 are chosen correctly. Show that if:

𝐾1
√ = 𝜔
𝑀1

then the steady-state amplitude of the primary system is zero.

Look for in the literature an application of this principle for the control of balance motion of a ship
using passive tanks. Explain using your own words the working principle of this device, and the
parameters that you would consider for the design of them for a ecuadorian fishing vessel.

2.- Thomson problem 5.37: rigid building model, neglect gravity.

3.- Apply Holzer method to the system with the following characteristics to calculate the first 3 natural
frequencies and corresponding mode shapes. Units are kg-m2, N-m-sec, N-m/rad and N-m-sec. Plot
all the mode shapes.

i Ji Ci Ki Gi
1 100 290 1E6 145
2 400 290 1E6 145
3 1000 580 1E5 290
4 800 580

Considering an excitation torque on the last disk with amplitude of 2000 N-m, calculate the forced
response of the system. Take excitation frequencies in a range which covers the three calculated
natural frequencies. Plot the amplitude of each disk as function of the excitation frequencies.

Base-motion forced oscillation of a three-story building model

Team work

Objective: to check the forced response of a three-story building, modelled as a 3 dof system, to a
harmonic base-motion excitation.
Experimental procedure:

first three teams must weld their frames to form the three story building model.
Register weights of three pieces of steel and then weld them to each of the stories in
the model. Develop a pilot test with the model on the shaker, to identify the range
of each one of the three natural frequencies of the system, using accelerometers to
register the vibration. With a range of 0.5f1 until 1.25f3, where f1 and f3 are the first
and third natural frequencies, set up the shaker to slowly cover this range with
amplitude of acceleration of 0.1g.

Similarly as in the previous experiment, you have to make the model to vibrate in
longitudinal and transversal directions. Of course, the range of frequencies to cover
are different for each case. Repeat at least three times the experiment, varying the
time to cover the range of frequencies.

Analysis (you may use Easyplot software or similar):

Calculate the response knowing the base-motion, and modelling the building as a 3-dof system. Take
for damping the value determined in the previous test. Values to compare: natural frequencies,
maximum values of response (acceleration) and sharpness of resonance.

Report: must be written in English, and be not longer than 5 pages. You have to review
recommendations given for the previous lab report.

To be completed by 7h00 Tuesday Dec. 12th, 2023