Module 5: Equation of Motion of SDOF systems

In design and proper maintenance of machines, engineers are always interested

in predicting the response of a mechanical system to external forcing. For
example, we may need to predict the response of a vehicle moving on an uneven
road, the response of an airplane wing due to aerodynamic load, or the response
of a ship due to engine vibration. Another typical problem that an engineer most
likely to encounter is to isolate a sensitive system from vibrations. For example,
the suspension of a car is designed to isolate a sensitive system (passengers)
from bumps in the road. Electron microscopes are another example of sensitive
instruments that must be isolated from vibrations. If the specimen vibrates with
amplitude of only a few nanometers, it will be impossible to recognize what is
seen. Thus, great care is taken to isolate this kind of instrument from vibrations.
That is one reason they are almost always located in the basement of a building:
the basement vibrates much less than the floors above.
In vibrational analysis of mechanical systems subjected to external excitations, it
is essential to determine the equation of motion of the system. The reason behind
the derivation of the equation of motion is due to the fact that the equation of
motion relates the dynamic properties of the system to the degree of freedom and
to the applied load.

When the equation of motion for a system is determined, then the natural
frequencies, mode shapes of the structure, and the response can be calculated.
These calculated parameters are the prerequisite for any further dynamic
analysis.
In general, we need to specify the system properties and the load acting on the
structure which is called excitation in order to be able to determine the response
of the structure for the given load.

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 Creating the Equation of motion of a System

Given the mass-spring single degree of freedom system shown below, the x
coordinate represents the displacement of the mass m along the x-direction. If m
were subjected to some kind of disturbance, it would store the energy due to this
disturbance and dissipate it in form of oscillatory motion. There are two
approaches for coming up with the equation of motion of a disturbed system.

The Force Equilibrium Approach

Let us assume that we try to pull the mass m by a force F in the direction of x,
then, this disturbance will be encounter by three resisting forces as shown in the
free body diagram

In equilibrium of an oscillatory motion, the sum of all these forces acting on the
mass m must be equal to zero
FI + FD + FE = F
Then, the general equation of motion represents a damped forced SDOF system:
𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑐𝑢̇ + 𝑘𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑡)
Where m, c, k are the dynamic properties of the system: m is the inertia, c is the
damping coefficient, and k is the stiffness

• When there is no external force on the system, the equation represents a

free damped system and can be expressed as:
𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑐𝑢̇ + 𝑘𝑢 = 0

• When there is no damping in the system, the equation represents a forced

undamped system and it becomes:
𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑘𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑡)

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 • When there is neither damping in the system nor a fn external force, the
the equation represents a forced undamped system and it becomes:
𝑚𝑢̈ + 𝑘𝑢 = 0

The Energy Approach

The Energy Method provides an alternative way to determine the mathematical

model (equations of motion) of a dynamic system. It’s also an alternative method
to calculate the natural frequency of the system. The Energy Method is a general
modeling technique, any multidisciplinary dynamic system can be captured by
the Energy Method (kinetic energy, potential energy, work).

The Energy Method states that for a simple, conservative (no damping) system,
the total energy E of the system is conserved. This implies that E=constant and
that the derivative of the total energy is zero:

𝑑𝐸 𝑑(𝑇 + 𝑉)
= =0
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Where T is the total kinetic energy of the system, and V is the total potential
energy stored in the system.

The Energy Method is applied in these simple steps:

• Write an expression of the potential energy V of the system

• Write an expression of the kinetic energy T of the system

• Write an expression of the total energy E of the system

𝑑𝐸 𝑑𝐸
• Take the derivative and set it equals to zero ⇒ =0
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

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 Example
Determine the equation of motion for the system shown below

m = 2 kg, k1 = 20 N/m, k2 = 10 N/m, k3 = 20 N/m, k4 = 15 N/m, b1 = 4 N-s/m, b2 = 3 N-s/m

meq Keq ω T ξ 𝑪𝒆𝒒

kg N/m (rad/sec) (sec) % (lb-sec)/in
2 27 3.67 1.71 0.2 3

2𝑥̈ + 3𝑥̇ + 27𝑥 = 𝑓𝑎

Example
Find the equation of motion of the system shown below:

M= 1000 kg, L=4m, d= 0.01m, E=109 N/m2, ξ=12%, α=30o, F(t)=40000Nsin31t.

Cable

M F(t)
)

meq Keq ω T ξ 𝑪𝒆𝒒

kg N/m (rad/sec) (sec) % (lb-sec)/in
1000 14.7 0.12 52 0.12 28.8

̈ + 28.8x
1000x ̇ + 14.7x = 40000sin31t

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 Example
Use the force method to find the equation of motion of the system shown below
ξ=5%.
The spring shown in the figure has a
rectangular cross section:
t=0.06 in
1 in
the following properties: E =3 x 107 psi,
L = 6 in, w = 1 in, t =0.06 in

Dbar= 1in, L = 3ft, γ=490 lb/ft3, P(t)=120lb sin30πt

Computation of the moment due to the Inertia of the system
Element D Area Length Volume γ=490 W M
(ft) (ft2) (ft) (ft3) (lb/ft3) (lb) (lb-sec2)/in
Bar 0.083 0.00545 3 0.01635 490 8.0115 0.0207

Element M I/c.m axis d d2 M d2 Ieq 𝑰𝒆𝒒 𝜽̈

(lb-sec2)/in lb-sec2-in in in2 lb-sec2-in lb-sec2-in (lb-in)
Bar 0.0207 2.2356 18 324 6.7068 8.9424
Computation of the Elastic Moment of the system
Element w t IX
(in) (in) (in4)
Spring 1 0.06 1.8x10-5

Element I EI L K W h 𝑲𝒆𝒒 𝜽
(in4) (lb-in2) (in) (lb-in)/rad (lb) (in) (lb-in)
Spring 1.8x10 -5
540 6 90 8 18 -54 𝜽

Computation of the Damping Moment of the system

Ieq Keq ω T ξ 𝑪𝒆𝒒 𝑪𝒆𝒒 𝜽̇
lb-sec2-in (lb-in)/rad (rad/sec) (sec) (lb-sec)/in (lb-in)
8.94 -54 2.45 2.55 0.05 2.19

𝐼𝑒𝑞 𝜃̈ + 𝐶𝑒𝑞 𝜃̇ + 𝐾𝑒𝑞 𝜃 = 𝑀(𝑡) ⇒ ω = ----- rad/sec

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 Example
Use the energy method to find the equation of motion of the system shown below

Dbar= 1in, L = 3ft, γ=490 lb/ft3, P(t)=120lb sin30πt ξ=5%

The spring shown in the figure has a
rectangular cross section:
t=0.06 in
1 in
the following properties: E =3 x 107
psi, L = 6 in, w = 1 in, t =0.06 in

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝑇) + 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝑈) = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡

1 1 𝑙
T = 2 𝐼𝑐𝑚 𝜃̇ 2 + 2 𝑚𝑣 2 ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑣 = 2 𝜃̇ , thus

The total kinetic energy can be expressed as:

1 1 𝑙 2 1 𝑚𝑙 2 1 𝑚𝑙 2 1 𝑚𝑙 2 2
𝑇 = 𝐼𝑐𝑚 𝜃̇ 2 + 𝑚 ( 𝜃̇) = [ ( )+ ( )] 𝜃̇ 2 = ( ) 𝜃̇
2 2 2 2 12 2 4 2 3

The total potential energy can be expressed as:

1 𝑙
𝑉 = 𝐾𝑡 𝜃 2 + 𝑚𝑔 (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃) ⇒
2 2

2
1 (𝑚𝑙 ) 𝜃̇ 2 + 1 𝐾 𝜃 2 + 𝑚𝑔 𝑙 (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃) = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
2 3 2 𝑡 2

𝑑 1 𝑚𝑙 2 2 1 𝑙
[ ( ) 𝜃̇ + 𝐾𝑡 𝜃 2 − 𝑚𝑔 (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)] = 0
𝑑𝑡 2 3 2 2

𝑚𝑙2 𝑙 𝑚𝑙 2 𝑙
𝜃̈ + 𝐾𝑡 𝜃 − 𝑚𝑔 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0 ⇒ 3 𝜃̈ + (𝐾𝑡 − 𝑚𝑔 2) 𝜃 = 0
3

m L Ieq=ml2/3 Kt=GJ/L mgl/2 Keq Ceq

(lb-sec2)/in (in) lb-sec2-in (Lb-in/rad) (lb-in)/rad (lb-in)/rad Lb-in/sec

𝐼𝑒𝑞 𝜃̈ + 𝐶𝑒𝑞 𝜃̇ + 𝐾𝑒𝑞 𝜃 = 𝑀(𝑡) ⇒ ω = ----- rad/sec

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 Example
Use te force method to find the equation of motion for the system shown below

Bar: d= 2”, L= 6’, ”, γ= 490 lb/ft3, F(t)= 3kCos30πt, k= 200lb/in, C= 75 (lb-sec)/in

Computation of the moment due to the Inertia of the system

Element m I/c.m axis D d2 m d2 Ieq 𝑰𝒆𝒒 𝜽̈
(lb-sec2)/in lb-sec2-in in in2 lb-sec2- lb-sec2- (lb-in)
in in

Computation of the elastic moment of the system

Element K Δ F M 𝑲𝒆𝒒 𝜽
(lb/in) (in) (lb) (lb-in) (lb-in)

Computation of the damping moment of the system

Element c 𝜟̇ F M 𝑪𝒆𝒒 𝜽̇
(lb-sec)/in (in/sec) (lb) (lb-in) (lb-in)

The equation of motion is then given below:

𝐼𝑒𝑞 𝜃̈ + 𝐶𝑒𝑞 𝜃̇ + 𝐾𝑒𝑞 𝜃 = 𝑀(𝑡) ⇒
The natural frequency of the system is: ω = ----- rad/sec

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 Example
Determine the equation of motion of the system shown below

K1=10 lb/in, k2= 20 lb/in, Mcylinder=100 lb., R= 6”, ξ=8%

Computation of the moment due to Inertia of the system

Element M I/c.m axis D d2 M d2 𝑰𝒆𝒒 𝑰𝒆𝒒 𝜽̈
(lb-sec2)/in lb-sec2-in in in2 lb-sec2- lb-sec2- (lb-in)
in in

Computation of the elastic moment of the system

Element K Δ KΔ 𝑲×𝜟×𝒅 𝑲𝒆𝒒 𝜽
(lb/in) (in) (lb) (lb-in) (lb-in)

Computation of the damping moment of the system

Ieq Keq ω T ξ Ceq 𝑪𝒆𝒒 𝜽̇
lb-sec2-in (lb-in)/rad (rad/sec) (sec) (lb-sec)/in (lb)

The equation of motion is then given below:

𝐼𝑒𝑞 𝜃̈ + 𝐶𝑒𝑞 𝜃̇ + 𝐾𝑒𝑞 𝜃 = 𝑀(𝑡) ⇒
The natural frequency of the system is: ω = ----- rad/sec

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Example
Determine the equation of motion and the frequency of the system shown below.
L=4ft., E= 107 psi, υ=0.27, tshaft= 0.25”, Ddisk= 16”, γ= 490 lb/ft3

𝑚𝑒𝑞 𝑢̈ + 𝑐𝑒𝑞 𝑢̇ + 𝑘𝑒𝑞 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑡)

Example
Determine the equation of motion and the frequency of the system shown below.
E= 200 GPa υ=0.27, , Ddisk= 450mm, γ= 7.85 g/cm3

𝑚𝑒𝑞 𝑢̈ + 𝑐𝑒𝑞 𝑢̇ + 𝑘𝑒𝑞 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑡)