THEORY OF MACHINES AND

MECHANISMS II
Mechanical IV/I
Vibration of Single Degree of Freedom
Systems

Rotating Unbalance

2022
Learning Objectives
• Make able to determine the response of a single degree of
freedom system due to rotating unbalance.
6.8 Response of a SDOF System due to Rotating Unbalance
Rotating unbalance is one of the most common cause of vibration
in rotating machineries. Unbalance in rotating machines is a
common source of vibration excitation. Unbalance present in a
rotating system is usually specified by an unbalanced mass and its
eccentricity .

Consider a spring-damper assembly shown

in Figure supporting a rotating machine of
mass , which has a rotational speed and
has a rotating unbalance of and an
eccentricity of .
 If vertical displacement of the non-rotating mass from the static
equilibrium position is , then instantaneous vertical displacement of
the unbalanced mass from the static equilibrium position will be .

Then equation of motion of the system is given

by
2
𝑑 (
( 𝑚 −𝑚 𝑢 ) 𝑥+𝑚
¨ 𝑢 2
𝑥 +𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔 𝑡 )=− 𝑘𝑥 −𝑐 𝑥˙
𝑑𝑡
…(6.105)
Simplifying and rearranging Equation (4.94),
we get
2
¨ ˙
𝑚 𝑥+𝑐 𝑥 +𝑘𝑥=𝑚 𝑢 𝑒𝜔 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔 𝑡 …(6.106)
Equation (6.106) shows that the rotating unbalance present in the
system generates harmonic force whose amplitude is proportional
to square of the rotating speed. It can be noted that Equation
(6.106) is identical to Equation (6.85) with .

Substituting into Equation (6.97), we can directly express the

relationship for steady state amplitude due to rotating unbalance as
𝑚𝑢 𝑒 𝜔 2 𝑚𝑢 𝑚 2
𝑒. . .𝜔
𝑘 𝑚 𝑘
𝑋= ¿

√{ ( )} ( ) √{ ( ) } (
2 2 2 2 2

)
𝜔 𝜔 𝜔 𝜔 2
1− + 2𝜉 1− + 2𝜉
𝜔𝑛 𝜔𝑛 𝜔𝑛 𝜔𝑛
…(6.107)
Equation (6.107) can also be expressed in non-dimensional form as

𝑚 𝑋
. =
( ) 𝜔 2
𝜔𝑛
…(6.108)

√{ ( ) } (
𝑚𝑢 𝑒 2 2
1−
𝜔
𝜔𝑛
+ 2𝜉
𝜔 2
𝜔𝑛 )
Similarly, Equation (6.98) can be used to determine the phase of
the response due to rotating unbalance as

{ }
𝜔
2𝜉
−1 𝜔𝑛 …(6.109)
𝜙 =𝑡𝑎𝑛
( )
2
𝜔
1−
𝜔𝑛
Response of the System at Low Frequency Region
When the frequency of the external force is less than the natural
frequency of the system () then frequency ratio will be small. It
can be noted from Equation (6.108)
𝜔 𝑚 𝑋
if → 0 , then . →0
𝜔𝑛 𝑚𝑢 𝑒
At low frequency region, amplitude ratio is almost equal to zero for
any value of damping.
Response of the System at Resonance Region
When the frequency of the external force is equal to the natural
frequency of the system () then frequency ratio will be equal to 1.
It can be noted from Equations (6.108) that
𝜔 𝑚 𝑋 1
if =1 , then . =¿
𝜔𝑛 𝑚𝑢 𝑒 2𝜉
In the neighborhood of resonance region, amplitude ratio is
proportional to the reciprocal of damping ratio.

Response of the System at High Frequency Region

When the frequency of the external force is higher than the natural
frequency of the system () then frequency ratio will be greater than
1. It can be noted from Equation (6.108) that
𝜔 𝑚 𝑋
if →∞ , then . →1
𝜔𝑛 𝑚𝑢 𝑒

At high frequency region, amplitude ratio is almost equal to unity

for any value of damping.
 ( )
2
𝜔
𝑚 𝑋 𝜔𝑛
. =

√{ 𝜔 ) } ( 𝜔 )
𝑚𝑢 𝑒 2 2
1− (
2
𝜔 𝜔
+ 2 𝜉
𝑛 𝑛
 { }
𝜔
2𝜉
−1 𝜔𝑛
𝜙 =𝑡𝑎𝑛
( )
2
𝜔
1−
𝜔𝑛
Review Questions
1. Derive the relation for amplitude ratio of a viscously damped
system under rotating unbalance.
2. Sketch the response of a viscously damped system under
rotating unbalance.
3. Compare the response of a viscously damped system under
rotating unbalance for different frequency regions.