Engineering Vibration

Part 1: Introduction
Prepared by: R. Tavares, RME
VIBRATION IN THE INDUSTRY
Vibration in the industry is caused by the operation of most
engines and machines as a result of the linear and or angular
motion of their component parts and other linkages that either
oscillate or respond to disturbances in the presence of restoring
forces.

Example:
• …the reciprocating action of a piston inside an engine
cylinder;
• …the linear and angular acceleration of the crank-connecting
rod linkage mechanism of an engine;
• …the pulsating action of the rocker arm mechanism of a
press.
CONSEQUENCES OF VIBRATIONS

Opened and closed within a few hours because of

undesirable vibrations.
CONSEQUENCES OF VIBRATIONS

A. Machine Foundation
• The engine might move out of its’ foundation;
• Seriously damage the foundation due to the shaking
forces of vibration;
• May result in the malfunction or damage of the
machinery.

B. Environment
• Production of severe noise propagating and magnifying
in time;
• Noise pollution due to the propagated noise by
transmission to an adjacent structure or the building itself
detrimental to operators in a plant or occupants of the
building.
CONSEQUENCES OF VIBRATIONS

C. Structures, i.e., bridges and buildings

• Shaking the structure itself affecting the occupants in the
building or the commuters passing through the bridge.
ELEMENTS OF MECHANICAL VIBRATION

A. Definition of Vibration
…the complex repeating motion that includes both
rotation and translation in all three directions or simply the
to and fro motion of a body or its parts.

C
A

B
Rigid Support
ELEMENTS OF MECHANICAL VIBRATION

B. Vibration Elements
1. Cycle – one complete movement of from the time the
vibration particle leaves its equilibrium position to the
time when it again passes through that portion in the
same direction.
2. Frequency – the speed by which the vibratory motion
repeats itself completely.
• Constant vibration usually have constant frequency
determined by the source and complicated by
harmonics generated by the structure.
• Transient vibration from shocks have a variable
frequency depending on both the source and its
supporting system.
ELEMENTS OF MECHANICAL VIBRATION

B. Vibration Elements
3. Direction – vibratory motion can occur along the vertical,
longitudinal, transverse motion (equivalent to an orthogonal
coordinate system) and in three directions of rotation such as
rocking, pitching, and slewing, depending on the source and
the degree of freedom.
4. Amplitude – the extent of the movement of a vibrating
body on each side of the mean position. It is transmitted
through matter and decreases as it travels farther away from
the origin.
5. Period or the periodic time – the time within one complete
vibration occurs which is usually expressed in minutes or
seconds.
CLASSIFICATION OF VIBRATION

Vibration is classified according to the method of their

production such as:

1. Free Vibration
a. Free elastic vibration
b. Free inelastic vibration

2. Forced Vibration
a. Forced elastic vibration
b. Forced inelastic vibration
c. Harmonic vibration
d. Tensional vibration
CLASSIFICATION OF VIBRATION

• Elastic vibration – vibrations caused by a displacement of

the internal molecular arrangement of the vibrating body, i.e.,
when a tuning fork is struck or when a spring is vibrated.

• Free Elastic Vibration – elastic vibrations at the natural

frequency of the body resulting the distortion of an elastic
body from its equilibrium position and then released. The
frequency of which depends on the size, shape, and elasticity
of the body. Free elastic vibration are always at the natural
frequency of the body.
CLASSIFICATION OF VIBRATION

• Forced elastic vibrations – elastic vibrations resulting from

the repeated action of some disturbing source or agency. The
frequency depends on the frequency of the disturbance, e.g.,
the vibration of a leaf spring, one end of which is held rigidly
while the other end is forced to move slowly to and fro by the
connecting rod.

• Inelastic Vibration – produced by the displacement of the

body as a whole from its mean position without any
appreciable displacement of its internal molecular
arrangement, e.g., the swinging of a pendulum or the needle
of a magnetic compass. It is sometimes called oscillation.
CLASSIFICATION OF VIBRATION

• Free inelastic vibration – those inelastic vibrations, at the

natural frequency of the system, resulting from the
displacement of a body as a whole from its equivalent
position and then released. The amplitude of undamped free
inelastic vibrations depends upon the amount of the
displacement. The frequency of undamped free vibrations
depends in general upon the moment of inertia of the
vibrating body and oscillation produced by the force tending
to restore it to its equilibrium position, e.g., vibration of an
unrestrained pendulum, compass needle or swing.
CLASSIFICATION OF VIBRATION

• Forced Inelastic Vibration – those resulting from the repeated

action of a disturbing agency or produced when concrete
foundations vibrate due to repeated forces produced by the
unbalanced moving parts of a machine set on it.
The frequency of forced inelastic vibration depends on the
frequency of the applied force of the external disturbing
agency, e.g., vibration of a pendulum at any frequency other
than its natural frequency by a connection rod forcing it to
move to and fro.
CLASSIFICATION OF VIBRATION

• Harmonic vibration – generally, is the vibration of one body

at the same frequency as those of another vibrating body. It
refers to the free elastic vibration, always at the natural
frequency, of a body that is vibrating at the natural frequency
of the first body.

Example:

A section of pipe of a certain length and size, held in a horizontal

position and supported only at each end, may have pronounced
harmonic transverse vibrations induced on it by a vibrating
machine that is located at a distance from the pipe section. There
may be no pronounce vibration of any member between the pipe
section and the machine.