Module 6: Free Response of SDOF Systems

The equation of motion of free un-damped SDOF system can be represented by:
𝐾
𝑀𝑢̈ + 𝐾𝑢 = 0 ⇒ 𝑢̈ +𝜔2 𝑢 = 0 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝜔2 = √
𝑀
The solution of this equation yields to
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 cos 𝜔𝑡 + 𝐵 sin 𝜔𝑡
Using initial conditions:
𝑢(0) = 𝑢0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢̇ (0) = 𝑢̇ 𝑜
The solution becomes:
𝑢̇ 𝑜
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝑢𝑜 cos 𝜔𝑡 + sin 𝜔𝑡
𝜔
The above equation can be expressed in either sine or cosine functions
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝜙) or 𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 sin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝛼)
2 𝑢̇ 𝑜⁄
𝑢̇ 𝑢
Where 𝐴 = √𝑢𝑜2 + ( 𝑜 ) , 𝜙 = tan−1 𝜔
, 𝛼 = tan−1 𝑢̇ 𝑜 𝑜
𝜔 𝑢𝑜 ⁄𝜔

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 Example
Determine the free response of the system shown below when it is subjected to
𝜋
𝜃0 = 15 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜃̇0 = 𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐

γ=490 lb/ft3 E= 3 x 107 psi, L= 6 ft, υ=0.27, t=2”, R=8”, do=1.25”

The equation of motion is then given below:

𝐼𝑒𝑞 𝜃̈ + 𝐾𝑒𝑞 𝜃 = 0 ⇒

𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝜙) or 𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 sin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝛼)

Example
Determine the free response of the system shown below when it is subjected to
𝜃0 = 150 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜃̇0 = 5𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐
m= 0.3 kg and l= 70 cm

The equation of motion is then given below:

𝐼𝑒𝑞 𝜃̈ + 𝐾𝑒𝑞 𝜃 = 0 ⇒

𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝜙) or 𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 sin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝛼)

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Example
Determine the free response of the structure given below to initial conditions:
𝑖𝑛 u(t)
𝑢̇ 𝑜 = 40 , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢0 = 1.5 𝑖𝑛
𝑠𝑒𝑐
Use: k=105 lb/in and W= 30 kips h=10ft

L=20 ft

𝑢̇ 𝑜
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝑢𝑜 cos 𝜔𝑡 + sin 𝜔𝑡
𝜔
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝜙)
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐴 sin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝛼)
Free damped systems
The equation of motion of free un-damped SDOF system can be represented by:
𝑀𝑢̈ + 𝐶𝑢̇ + 𝐾𝑢 = 0
Let𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐺𝑒 𝑠𝑡 and substitute in the above equation, we obtain
𝐺(𝑀𝑠 2 + 𝐶𝑠 + 𝐾)𝑒 𝑠𝑡 = 0 ⇒ 𝑀𝑠 2 + 𝐶𝑠 + 𝐾 = 0 𝑜𝑟 𝑠 2 + 2𝜉𝜔𝑠 + 𝜔2 = 0

The roots of the above characteristic equation is

−𝐶 ± √𝐶 2 − 4𝑀𝐾 −𝐶
𝑢1,2 = = ± √(𝜉𝜔)2 − 𝜔 2 = −𝜉𝜔 ± 𝜔√𝜉 2 − 1
2𝑀 2𝑀
We can identify three cases based on the value of the quantity under the square
root:

Case I: 𝝃𝟐 − 𝟏 > 𝟎 ⇒ 𝝃 > 𝟏

This case is called over-damped, substituting the roots in the solution yields:
(−𝜉𝜔−𝜔√𝜉 2 −1 )𝑡 (−𝜉𝜔+𝜔√𝜉 2 −1 )𝑡
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐺1 𝑒 𝑠1𝑡 + 𝐺2 𝑒 𝑠2𝑡 = 𝐺1 𝑒 + 𝐺2 𝑒
Which can lead to

2 −1 𝑡 2 −1
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 (𝐺1 𝑒 −𝜔√𝜉 + 𝐺2 𝑒 𝜔√𝜉 𝑡
)

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G1 and G2 can be determined from the initial conditions

Case II: 𝝃𝟐 − 𝟏 = 𝟎 ⇒ 𝝃 = 𝟏 ⇒ 𝑆1 = 𝑆2 = −𝜔

Thus, 𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐺1 𝑒 𝑠1𝑡 + 𝐺2 𝑡𝑒 𝑠2𝑡 = 𝑒 −𝜔𝑡 (𝐺1 + 𝐺2 𝑡)

Using initial condition, the response u(t) can be written in the form below

𝑢(𝑡) = 𝑒 −𝜔𝑡 [𝑢𝑜 + (𝑢̇ 𝑜 + 𝜔𝑢𝑜 )𝑡]

Case III: 𝝃𝟐 − 𝟏 < 𝟎 ⇒ 𝝃 < 𝟏

Thus, 𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐺1 𝑒 𝑠1𝑡 + 𝐺2 𝑡𝑒 𝑠2𝑡
Use the initial conditions we obtain the response shown below:
𝑢̇ 𝑜 + 𝑢𝑜 𝜉𝜔
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 [𝑢𝑜 cos 𝜔√1 − 𝜉 2 𝑡 + sin 𝜔√1 − 𝜉 2 𝑡]
𝜔√1 − 𝜉 2
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝜌𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 sin(𝜔√1 − 𝜉 2 𝑡 + 𝜙)

Example
A massless cantilever beam of stiffness equals to 8000 lb/in carries a weight of 500
lb at the free end. A 30 lb weight fell from a height equals to 10 ft on the 500 lb
and stick with it. Determine the resulting response of the beam is the damping ratio
is 5%

M K ω 𝒖̇ 𝒐 ρ Φ
(lb-sec2)in (lb/in) (rad/sec) (In/sec) (in) (rad)

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 𝑢(𝑡) = 𝜌𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 sin(𝜔√1 − 𝜉 2 𝑡 + 𝜙)

Example
A SDOF has weight of 92 lb, c = 23 (lb-sec)/in, k = 120 lb/in. If the system was
displaced 2 in. and given an initial velocity of 10ft/s, what would be the response
of the system

M K C ω ξ ωd
(lb-sec2)in (lb/in) (lb-sec)/in (rad/sec) (rad/sec)

.
𝑢(𝑡) = 𝜌𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 sin(𝜔√1 − 𝜉 2 𝑡 + 𝜙)