KIG3003 Mechanics of

Machines and Vibration

Lecture 3: Free vibration of 1-DOF

systems (Part 1: Undamped)

Prepared by
mfsoong
Where we are
Week Topic Week Topic
1 Fundamentals of vibration 8 Vibration under general force
Response under general periodic force
2 Free vibration of 1-DOF systems 9 Vibration under general force
Undamped translational & rotational Response under non-periodic force
systems
3 Free vibration of 1-DOF systems 10 Laplace transform
Damped translational & rotational
systems
4 Characteristic roots and 11 2-DOF systems
corresponding solutions Free & forced vibration of undamped
systems
5 Harmonic excitation 12 2-DOF systems
Response of undamped & damped Coordinate coupling & principal
systems coordinates
6 Harmonic excitation 13 Multi-DOF systems
Base excitation & rotating unbalance Equations of motion in matrix form
7 Frequency transfer functions 14 Multi-DOF systems
Modal analysis of forced vibration
Understanding free vibration
• Free Vibration:
When a system oscillates only under an initial disturbance;
no external forces acting after the disturbance

• Undamped:
No damping (*negligible); amplitude of motion remains
constant with time (e.g. in a vacuum)
Some idealized examples
• Most fundamental free undamped vibration – 1-DOF
systems – ‘mass-spring’ system:
Deriving equation of motion
1. Determine the motion;
use suitable coordinate to
describe position
2. Determine static
equilibrium (e.g. kx m ≡
displacement from static
equilibrium) Equation of motion is obtained:
3. Draw free-body diagram,
identify all forces
4. Apply Newton’s 2nd law of
motion
Deriving equation of motion

Equations of motion:

Equation of motion:
Introduction to other methods
(1) D’Alembert’s principle
Considers the concept of dynamic
equilibrium (inertial force), so:

𝛿𝑊 𝑠=− ( 𝑘𝑥 ) 𝛿 𝑥
𝛿𝑊 𝑖 =− ( 𝑚 𝑥¨ ) 𝛿 𝑥
(2) Principle of virtual
displacements
if a system in equilibrium is
subjected to a virtual displacement,
then the total virtual work done by
the forces will be zero
Introduction to other methods
(3) Principle of conservation of energy
• A system is said to be conservative if no energy is lost due to friction
or energy-dissipating non-elastic members
• If no work is done on the conservative system by external forces, the
total energy of the system remains constant

Denote:
T = kinetic energy of system
U = potential energy of system
2 ( 1/2 ) 𝑚 𝑥˙ 𝑥+2
¨ ( 1/2 ) 𝑘𝑥 𝑥=0
˙

T + U = constant
Mass-spring system in vertical
• There is now a static
equilibrium position, where
spring elongation δst  kδst
compensates W = mg

Conclusion: The system is the same

when x is measured from the
position of static equilibrium
Response of 1-DOF free vibration
(undamped)
• , is a 2nd order homogeneous ODE; obtain response by
solving ODE for x(t):
Response of 1-DOF free vibration
(undamped)
Response of 1-DOF free vibration
(undamped)
Response of 1-DOF free vibration
(undamped)
Other ways of solving ODE:
• How about assuming
x(t) = Cest ?
• How about the famous
Laplace transform?
Response of 1-DOF free vibration
(undamped)
• Graphical representation of the response:

• Notice from solution that (proportional to x); this is called

simple harmonic motion
Disp: x(t), vel: dx/dt, acc: d2x/dt2
• They are all related: solve x(t)  can obtain v(t) & a(t)

x  A sin  t x   A cos  t x   2 A sin  t   2 x

• Interesting facts:
• Considering ω > 0, so |x0| < |v0| <|a0| [( )0 = amplitude]
• cos (ωt) = sin (ωt + π/2)  v(t) leads x(t) by π/2
• – sin (ωt) = sin (ωt ± π)  a(t) is anti-phase to x(t)
• However, all oscillates with frequency ω
Free undamped torsional system
• Basically equivalent, merely conversion
from translational to rotational motion:
Translational Rotational
Displacement, x Angular disp, θ
Force, F Torque, T
Mass, m Moment of inertia, I or J
Stiffness, k = F / x Torsional stiffness, kt = T / θ
Damping, c Torsional damping, ct

• Same derivation of eqn of motion

• Same concept of ωn = (kt / J)1/2
Response of first order systems
• Some movement cases are non-oscillatory, and the
governing equation is of simpler, 1st order ODE
• E.g. Slowing down of turbine rotor’s rotation (damping)

• E.g. ‘mass-damper’ setup

Response of first order systems
• Newton’s 2nd law of motion gives:
• Relate:  (just damping)

• Response exponential:

• No oscillation

• Index term (– ct / j):

• Called ‘time constant’