Structural Dynamics for Civil Engineers – SDOF Systems

Dr. Riya Catherine George

Department of Civil Engineering
Hiroshima University, Japan
Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

Lecture – 09
Harmonic Vibration Examples

Welcome back to the structural dynamics course. We have been learning about the
vibrations of single degree of freedom systems under various scenarios. In the first week
we learned about free vibrations, undamped and viscously damped free vibrations. In the
previous week we learnt coulomb damped free vibration, we also learned about harmonic
vibrations, that is when the system vibrates under a harmonic force. We learned about
resonance and the influence of damping on resonant responses. We also learned about
transmissibility and vibration isolation.

(Refer Slide Time: 00:50)

So, before learning something new this week, we would briefly revise what we have
learnt in the previous weeks.
(Refer Slide Time: 01:07)

In the first week we discussed free vibrations. This is the equation of motion of a single
degree of freedom system under free vibration, m is the mass of the system, c is damping
coefficient, k is the stiffness. And since it is free vibration, there is no external force
acting on this system so, the right hand side is 0. So, this is the undamped free vibrations
response it is undamped when c becomes 0.

So, the displacement response is like this, x naught that is the initial displacement
multiplied by cos omega n t plus x dot naught that is the initial velocity divided by
omega n multiplied by sin omega n t. And omega n we have seen that it is equal into root
of k by m and it is known as the natural frequency of this system. And this is how the
response would look like and since there is no damping in the system, this displacement
will not decay in time this amplitude will not change at each cycle the amplitude will be
same.
(Refer Slide Time: 02:27)

Then we have damped free vibrations. In damped free vibrations damping is non-zero
and this equation can be rewritten as this. If you divide this by mass you will get this
equation where zeta is defined as the ratio of the damping coefficient and the critical
damping coefficient. This is the response of a damped system under free vibrations. So,
we have an exponentially decaying term here it is a function of zeta.

So, depending upon the damping, there is a decay in the vibration response; so, you can
see that in the plot. So, the amplitude of the vibration decays with time and here in this
equation this x naught is the initial displacement and omega D is natural frequency
multiplied by square root of 1 minus zeta square, where zeta is the damping ratio.

So, if the damping is high, this value will be lower than the natural frequency. So, here
we have the initial velocity and the second term is depending upon the damping and the
initial displacement. So, this is how the vibration of a damped system looks like and it
decays with time and after some time the vibration stops.
(Refer Slide Time: 04:07)

Then we discussed one type of forced vibration called harmonic vibration. It so, in
forced vibration, a force a time varying force will be acting on the system and a
harmonic force is something which can be written like this that is as a function of sin or
cosine. So, this is how a harmonic force will look like and p naught is the amplitude of
this force and omega is the forcing frequency. So, this period will be equal to 2 pi by this
forcing frequency and this is called forcing period.

= p0 sin 𝜔t or p0 cos 𝜔t

(Refer Slide Time: 04:51)

This is the response of an undamped system under harmonic force. So, this response will
have two components a transient component and the steady state response. So, the steady
state response will be a sin function with frequency equal to the forcing frequency that is
omega. And the transient response will have frequency as omega n. So, as you can see in
this figure the blue diagram shows this response x t and the dotted line shows the steady
state response.

So, this response will have two frequency components the natural frequency and the
forcing frequency. So, the time between these two adjacent peaks will be equal to the
natural period and the time between two global peaks would be the forcing period.

(Refer Slide Time: 06:00)

This is how the response of an undamped system under harmonic force. So, again this
would have transient response and a steady state response, but in damped system the
transient response decays with time depending upon the amount of damping present in
the system. So, this transient respond will change with time and decays and becomes 0
and only the steady state response remains after some time.

(A cos t+Bs t) + C s t +D cos t

So, that is why the name says steady state and transient. Transient is the one which
decays and steady state this what stays after some time and the steady state response
continues as long as the force is available. So, you can calculate these constants this A
and B can be calculated using the initial conditions and C and D can also be evaluated
and we have derived this.

After that we discuss the steady state response in detail.

(Refer Slide Time: 07:13)

This is the amplitude of the steady state response and here this term p naught by k is
equivalent to the static response. If a constant force p naught was acting on the system
and this is the deformation response factor. So, this is an amplification or reduction
factor depending upon the value of the frequency ratio. So, this figure shows this
deformation response factor Rd.
So, as you can see here the value of Rd is close to 1, when the frequency ratio this very
less it is very when it is very less than 1 Rd is near 1; that means, when the frequency
ratio is much smaller than 1, the steady state amplitude response will be equivalent to the
static response. So, x naught will be equal to p naught by k when Rd is 1. And when the
frequency ratio is near 1 the response amplifies a lot depending upon the value of
damping and when the frequency ratio is much higher than 1 this factor becomes much
less than 1, it becomes close to 0; that means, the steady state response amplitude would
be much smaller than the static response amplitude.

(Refer Slide Time: 08:53)

(Refer Slide Time: 08:58)

Now, let see some examples of harmonic vibrations. So, in the first example problem the
mass m the stiffness k and natural frequency omega n of an undamped single degree of
freedom system are unknown. These properties are to be determined by harmonic
excitation test. At an excitation frequency of 4 Hertz, the response tends to increase
without bound. Next a weight delta w which is equal to 5 pounds is attached to the mass
m and the resonance test is repeated. This time the resonance occurs at 3 Hertz determine
the mass and stiffness of the system.

So, we have an undamped single degree of freedom system and it is mass and frequency
are to be found out using harmonic excitation test. So, how is it done? You excite the
structure with multiple excitations with different frequencies and finds when the
resonance happens. So, it is given when the resonance is happening. So, let us see how to
solve this problem.

So, we have learnt that for undamped system, the resonance is at the natural frequency.
So, we can find out that the first resonance frequency which is given as 4 Heartz is the
natural frequency of the system. So, we can write omega n 1 is 2 pi fn, fn is given as 4
Heartz here. So, that is the excitation frequency when the resonance happens at the first
time. So, omega n 1 is 8 pi and we know that omega natural frequency is equal to root k
by m. So, we know this value of k by m now, the square of this. So, in the second time
an additional mass was added to the system. So, we also know the second natural
frequency that is 3 Hertz, that is 6 pi radians per second.

ωn1 = 2 =2 x4=8 = ωn12 = 64 --------------------------- (1)

ωn2 = 2 =2 x3=6 = ωn22 = 3 ------------------------ (2)

So, now the mass of the system is changed now. So, we have k by m plus delta m. Delta
m is the mass of this additional weight. So, now, this is the frequency of the system; so,
we have an equation k by m plus delta m is equal to omega 2 square. So, now, we have
got two equations solving this we can find the two unknowns, they are k and m. So, just
solve this equation and find k and m.

So, we know delta m is equal to the mass of this additional weight. So, we can calculate
that the weight is five if you divide it by g you get the mass. So, substitute in these two
equations in this equation and if you can divide this equation by this, you will get this
and eventually you can calculate the value of the mass. So, the mass comes to be this
much and substitute it here, you get the value of the stiffness. So, this is how we find the
mass and stiffness of a system using harmonic test.

(Refer Slide Time: 12:51)

Let us move on to the next example, a machine is supported on four steel springs for
which damping can be neglected. The natural frequency of vertical vibration of the
machine spring system is 200 cycles per minute. The machine generates vertical force it
is a harmonic force.

The amplitude of the resulting steady state vertical displacement of the machine is x
naught is equal to 0.2 inches, then the machine is running at 20 revolutions per minute
and the amplitude is 1.042 to at 180 rpm and the amplitude is 0.0248 inches at 600 rpm.
Calculate the amplitude of the vertical motion of the machine if the steel springs are
replaced by rubber isolators, which provide the same stiffness, but introduce damping
equivalent to zeta is equal to 25 percent. Comment on the effectiveness of the isolators at
various machine speeds.

So, in this we have a machine supported by 4 springs; so, two are in the front and two are
at the back. The machine is running at different speeds. So, the amplitude of this vertical
vibration is given at different speeds of the machine. And we have to find out how this
vibrations will change when these springs are replaced by rubber isolators which provide
additional damping to this system. So, let us solve this.
So, it is given that the natural frequency of this machine spring system is 200 cycles per
minute. So, when the machine is running at 20 rpm that is 20 revolutions per minute, it is
given that the displacement amplitude is 0.2 inches. So, we can calculate the frequency
ratio because we know the natural frequency we know the forcing frequency that is 20
rpm. So, the frequency ratio is 0.1 and we know that for undamped systems, the
amplitude of the steady state response is equal to p naught by k divided by 1 minus
omega n the whole square and then amplitude of that.

So, here we know the amplitude so, we can substitute the value of the amplitude in this
equation and find out the value of p naught by k. And we know that p naught by k is the
static response of the system if a constant force was acting on the system, a constant
force of amplitude p naught was acting on the system. So, this is the steady state
response.

(Refer Slide Time: 16:11)

So, now we will calculate what happens when the springs are replaced by rubber
isolators. So, when rubber isolators are kept, you get a damping of 25 percent and the
frequency ratio does not change it is same as 0.1. So, we know that the amplitude is
expressed like this when a damping is present. So, we can just substitute the value. So,
we know the value of p naught by k now and also substitute the value of frequency ratio
and damping, you get the response amplitude as 0.1997 inches.
So, now let us move on to 180 rpm. So, when the machine is at 180 rpm the amplitude
we know the frequency ratio we can calculate that would be 180 by the natural frequency
that is 200. So, the frequency ratio is 0.9 here, again we can substitute in this equation
and calculate the value of p naught by k and we should get the same as we calculated
earlier. Because this is just a static response it does not depend upon the forcing
frequency. So, this should be same as what we have seen earlier.

So, now again let us find what happens when damping is there in the system. So, when
the springs are replaced by rubber isolators, we can calculate the response amplitude the
displacement amplitude. So, we can substitute the values as we did earlier and we can
calculate the response amplitude and that comes out to be 0.4053 inches.

(Refer Slide Time: 18:06)

Now, let us calculate for 600 rpm. Again the amplitude is given frequency ratio we can
calculate and it comes out to be 3, substitute here you will get the same response static
response we can skip the steps by now. I just kept it for clarification. This is the static
response and this will be constant irrespective of the rpm. So, when the damping is 25
percent, let us calculate the amplitude and that comes out to be 0.0243. So, this would be
the response amplitude, if we replace the springs by rubber isolators.

Now, let us we have calculated for all three cases and now let us summarize the results.
So, we run the machine at different speeds. So, we have three frequency ratios forcing
frequencies was changing each time. So, these are the forcing the frequency ratios. Now
this is the response amplitude when the springs were kept that is when there was no
damping. So, these amplitudes were given and we have calculated the response
amplitude when the damping is 0.25 that is when the springs are replaced by rubber
isolators. So, these are the results.

So, here you can see when the frequency ratio is 0.1, the response amplitudes are very
close. When the frequency ratio is 0.9 as we can see the amplitude of response
significantly reduces when we replace springs by rubber isolators that is when we
introduce some damping to the system. When the frequency ratio is 3, you can see that
both the amplitudes are almost same; that means, the rubber isolators did not change the
frequency amplitude and this behavior we have already seen when we discussed the
response factors.

So, we have seen that the value of Rd that is deformation response factor varies like this
with frequency ratio. So, when the frequency ratio was much less than 1 that is in the
case here when it was here it is 0.1. So, when it was much less than 1, this factor was
close to 1; that means, our responses would be similar that is the trend we are seeing
here. That means damping does not have any effect here, but when the frequency ratio is
near 1 the damping has effect on this response amplitude.

So, depending upon the damping the response will reduce. So, we had 25 percent
damping here. So, our response came down significantly. So, when frequency ratio is
very high compared to 1, then again there is no influence of damping this factor will
become less than 1, but it does not change much with damping. So, here our frequency
ratio is 3. So, as it is seen from this figure damping does not have much control over
there. So, here also our damping does not reduce the amplitude of the response.
(Refer Slide Time: 21:52)

In the next problem we have two simply supported beams and an air conditioning unit is
kept on it. So, an air conditioning unit weighing 1200 pounds is bolted at the middle of
the two parallel simply supported steel beams. The clear span of the beams is 8 feet, the
second moment of cross sectional area of each beam is 10 inch to the power 4 so, that is
I. The motor in the unit runs at 300 rpm and produces an unbalanced force of 600 pounds
at this speed. Neglect the weight of the beams and assume 1 percent viscous damping in
the system.

For steel e is given as 30,000 ksi, that is kips per square inches similar to Newton per
meter square millimeter. Determine the amplitudes of steady state deflection and steady
state acceleration of the beams at their midpoints which result from the unbalanced force.
So, this air conditioning unit is rotating with some speed which is given and that causes a
unbalanced force the amplitude of the force is also given. So, this is, this unit is
imparting a harmonic force on the beams.

So, the information we already have is the length of the beams is given that is 8 feet and
second moment of cross sectional area is given that is I 10 inch to the power 4. Young’s
modulus is given and it is told that zeta the damping ratio is 0.01 that is 1 percent
damping viscous damping. So, we can calculate the forcing frequency that is 300 rpm
that is 300 by 60 cycles per second and if you multiply by 2 pi you would get it in
radians per second. So, omega is this much, when we know the unbalanced force
amplitude is given as 60 pounds and the weight of this AC unit has also given as 1200
pounds.

So, now let us find out the steady state deflection and acceleration.

(Refer Slide Time: 24:32)

So, the stiffness of the system is equal to the stiffness of the two beams. So, we have two
simply supported beams and at the mid span the stiffness is equal to 48 EI by L cube.
This we you should have studied this in the static course; so, if you do not remember this
please refer your static analysis notes. So, this is the 48 EI by L cube is the lateral
stiffness of the simply supported beam at mid span.

So, we have two beams. So, the equivalent stiffness of the system is two times that you
can calculate this because we have all the values and the natural frequency of the system
this omega n that is root of k by m we know the weight of the AC unit. So, we can
calculate the mass, mass is weight by g. So, this becomes kg by weight under root. So,
again we can calculate the natural frequency.

Forcing frequency is known; so, we can calculate the frequency ratio omega by omega n
that is equal to 0.307. So, let us calculate the steady state response now. We know the
displacement amplitude for damped system is p naught by k divided by square root of 1
minus damping ratio square the whole square plus 2 zeta damping ratio square the whole
square. So, we can just substitute all these values, all these are known to us by now. So, p
naught by k is known, damping ratio is known frequency ratio is known. So, substitute it
and get the value as this much. So, that will be the amplitude of the displacement of the
beams under the effect of a rotating AC unit.

Displacement amplitude, x0

So, once the displacement amplitude is known, we can calculate the acceleration
response acceleration amplitude and the acceleration amplitude is omega n square times
displacement amplitude. So, we can calculate that also. So, this acceleration amplitude
this 2.009 inches per second square. We can also represent this in terms of g just divide
this value by the value of g and we can represent this in terms of g. So, this is equal to
0.0053 times g the gravitational acceleration.

(Refer Slide Time: 27:29)

It is given that the weight of the isolation block is 2000 pounds and the forcing frequency
is 1500 cycles per minute. It is given that the foundation of the isolation block vibrates in
this frequency. So, we can calculate the value in Hertz that is cycles per second; so, 1500
by 60 will give you the value of the frequency in Hertz. It is also given the e value for the
steel spring that is 30,000 ksi.
So, we learned about transmissibility. So, that is the ratio of the vibration of the isolation
block to the vibration of the foundation and it is given in the question that, that should be
10 percent that is 0.1. So, this transmissibility which is given us which we need to
achieve this 0.1 which is less than 1.

So, now let us look at how the value of the transmissibility varies with frequency ratio.
So, we have learned this last week. So, this is the transmissibility curve. So, the y axis
shows this ratio, the vibration of the isolation block to the vibration of the foundation in
this case.

So, as you can see here when the frequency ratio is very less; that means, the
transmissibility is equal to 1. So, in that case we cannot achieve this value of 0.1 if the
frequency ratio is very less. So, in such case the vibration of the isolation block and the
vibration of the foundation will be equal to same irrespective of the damping provided or
the frequency ratio because for the whole range the transmissibility value is 1 if the
frequency ratio is much less than 1 that is in this range. And if the frequency ratio is
close to 1 then the transmissibility will be greater than 1; that means, we cannot reduce
the amplitude of the vibration, but it will increase and depending upon the damping the
vibration will reduce; that means, transmissibility value will reduce if you have a high
damping.

But in that range also the value of transmissibility will be greater than 1 for normal
damping levels. So, to get a transmissibility of 0.1 we need to go beyond the root 2; that
means, the frequency ratio should be higher than root 2. So, let us find out how much
frequency ratio will suffice for our 10 percent reduction in amplitude.
(Refer Slide Time: 30:34)

So, for transmissibility less than 1, the frequency ratio should be greater than root 2. So,
this is the expression for the transmissibility which we have learnt last week. So, that is 1
plus 2 zeta frequency ratio square the whole square divided by 1 minus frequency ratio
square the whole square plus 2 zeta frequency ratio the whole square and the whole thing
is under root so, to the power 1 by 2.

So, when zeta is equal to 0. So, in this case in this question it is given that we can neglect
damping. So, zeta is equal to 0 here. So, the transmissibility becomes this, these two
terms will cancel. So, our transmissibility comes down to this and we have to make it
equivalent to 0.1. So, from this we can calculate the frequency ratio needed for this much
amount of transmissibility. So, just solve this equation and we can get the frequency ratio
that is omega by omega n and that value is equal to 3.32, this is higher than root 2. So,
we will get transmissibility less than 0.1.

So, now we know the forcing frequency omega. So, we can calculate the natural
frequency. So, if you substitute all the values we can calculate the natural frequency. So,
we know that natural frequency is equal to under root k by m. So, if mass is known and
natural frequency is also known, we can calculate the stiffness. So, just substitute the
value and just get the stiffness. So, if we keep the effective stiffness of that isolation
system as this much this 11.6 kips per inch, we can make sure that the response of the
isolated system is only 10 percent of the foundation response.