STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

Learning Module 3:
Damped Single DOF

Prof J. Mahachi, Pr.Eng, Pr.CPM, FSAICE

University of Johannesburg

School of Civil Engineering & Built Environment

Email: jmahachi@uj.ac.za
Cell: 082 904 9569
 Course Outline
• Introduction to differential equations
• SDOF Free vibration, with no damping
• SDOF Free vibration with damping
• SDOF Forced vibration
– Harmonic Loading
– Periodic Loading
– Pulse Loading
– Transient loading (Seismic/Earthquake loading)
• MDOF
• Vibration of Continuous Structures
• Foundations of Reciprocating Machines
 Learning Outcome: Module 3
• At the end of this module, the learner will know:
– How to establish equations of motion for damped sdof using
d’Alembert principle
– Solve the equation of motion of damped sdof
– Plot the equation of motion; and
– Damped circular frequency and period of natural vibration
 Damping in Structures
• The process by which free vibration steadily diminishes in amplitude is
called damping.
• In damping, the energy of the vibrating system is dissipated by various
mechanisms, and often more than one mechanism may be present at the
same time.
• In actual structures, many mechanisms contribute to the energy dissipation.
In a vibrating building these include friction at steel connections, opening
and closing of microcrack in concrete, and friction between the structure
itself and nonstructural elements such as partition walls.
• It seems impossible to identify or describe mathematically each of these
energy-dissipating mechanisms in an actual building.
 Damping in Structures (Cont…)
Viscous Damping
• As a result, the damping in actual structures is usually represented in a highly
idealized manner.
• As shown in Figure, the damping force is related to the velocity 𝑢ሶ across the linear
viscous damper by

f𝐷 = c𝑢ሶ
Mathematical model: Damped SDOF

𝑚𝑢ሷ

Model D’Alembert’s principle

𝑓𝑠 is the spring force 𝑚𝑢ሷ + 𝑐𝑢ሶ + 𝑘𝑢 = 0

𝑓𝐷 is the damping force
 Equation of Motion
The equation of motion is given by:
𝑚𝑢ሷ + 𝑐𝑢ሶ + 𝑘𝑢 = 0 (1)
where c is the damping constant.

The solution to Equation (1) is given by

𝑢 = 𝐶𝑒 𝑠𝑡
The characteristic equation is then
𝑚𝑠 2 + 𝑐𝑠 + 𝑘 = 0
𝑐 𝑐 2 𝑘
𝑠1 , 𝑠2 = − ± ( ) − (2)
2𝑚 2𝑚 𝑚
 Equation of Motion (Cont…)
𝑐 𝑘
• Let 𝜉 = and 𝜔2 = ;𝑐 ≠ 0
2𝑚𝜔 𝑚

• 𝑠1 = −𝜉𝜔 + 𝜔 𝜉 2 − 1 ; 𝑠2 = −𝜉𝜔 − 𝜔 𝜉 2 − 1

• Three possible motions:

1. 𝜉 = 1 : Non-oscillatory (s1 and s2 are real and equal)
2. 𝜉 > 1 : Non-oscillatory (s1 and s2 are real and distinct)
3. 0 < 𝜉 < 1 : Oscillatory (s1, s2 are complex conjugate)
 Equation of Motion (Cont…)
At bifurcation point:
• Motion moves from non-oscillatory to oscillatory
• 𝜉=1 and damping coefficient is referred to as critical damping
• 𝑐 = 2𝑚𝜔𝜉 ∴ 𝑐𝑐𝑟 = 2𝑚𝜔 (with 𝜉=1)

𝑘 𝑐 𝑐
• or 𝑐𝑐𝑟 = 2𝑚 = 2 𝑘𝑚 𝜉= =
𝑚 2𝑚𝜔 𝑐𝑐𝑟
𝑐
𝜉=
𝑐𝑐𝑟
 Equation of Motion (Cont…)
∴ General solution to Equation (1) is therefore;

𝑚𝑢ሷ + 𝑐 𝑢ሶ + 𝑘𝑢 = 0
𝑢= 𝐴𝑒 𝑠1 𝑡 + 𝐵𝑒 𝑠2 𝑡

where 𝐴 and 𝐵 are determined from initial conditions (I.C).

 Case
Case I: Critically
I: Critically Damped
Damped System
System (𝜉=1)
This case occurs when the radical is equal to zero, and 𝑐 = 𝑐𝑐𝑟
𝑠1 = 𝑠2 = −𝜔
𝑐𝑐𝑟
𝜔=
2𝑚

The solutions are therefore as follows;

𝑢1 𝑡 = 𝐴𝑒 −𝜔𝑡
and 𝑢2 𝑡 = 𝐵𝑡𝑒 −𝜔𝑡

The general solution for critical dumping is therefore;

𝑢 𝑡 = (𝐴 + 𝐵𝑡)𝑒 −𝜔𝑡
 Case I: Critically Damped System (𝜉=1), cont…
• 𝑢 𝑡 = (𝐴 + 𝐵𝑡)𝑒 −𝜔𝑡
• 𝑢ሶ 𝑡 = (𝐵 − 𝜔𝐴 − 𝜔𝐵𝑡) ∙ 𝑒 −𝜔𝑡
• Applying the Initial Conditions 𝑢 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢(0)
ሶ and solve for the
constants A and B, we get:

𝑢 𝑡 = 𝑢 0 1 + 𝜔𝑡 + 𝑢ሶ 0 𝑡 ∙ 𝑒 −𝜔𝑡

𝑢ሶ 𝑡 = [𝑢ሶ 0 1 − 𝜔𝑡 − 𝜔2 𝑢 0 𝑡] ∙ 𝑒 −𝜔𝑡
 Case I: Critically Damped System (Cont…)
Graphical representation
𝑢 𝑡 = 𝑢 0 1 + 𝜔𝑡 + 𝑢ሶ 0 𝑡 ∙ 𝑒 −𝜔𝑡 ; 1.2

𝐹𝑜𝑟: 0.8

u(t)
0.6
𝑢 0 = 1 ; 𝑢ሶ 0 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜔 = 4 rad/s
0.4

∴ 𝑢 𝑡 = (1 + 4𝑡) ∙ 𝑒 −𝜔𝑡 0.2

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
t (sec)

No vibration at all
 Case
Case II: II: Overdamped
Overdamped System
System (𝜉>1)
For this case, the radical is positive; 𝜉 > 1 and 𝑐 > 𝑐𝑐𝑟

∴ There are therefore 2 real and distinct roots.

𝑠1 = −𝜉𝜔 + 𝜔 ෝ ; 𝑠2 = −𝜉𝜔 − 𝜔 ෝ

ෝ = 𝜔 𝜉2 − 1
where 𝜔

𝑢1 𝑡 = 𝑒 − 𝜉𝜔−𝜔
ෝ 𝑡
; 𝑢2 𝑡 = 𝑒 − 𝜉𝜔+𝜔
ෝ 𝑡

∴ 𝑢 𝑡 = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 (𝐴𝑒 𝜔
ෝ𝑡
+ 𝐵𝑒 −𝜔
ෝ𝑡
) (1)
 Case II: Overdamped System
• Equation (1) can be re-written as:
𝑢 𝑡 = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 (𝐴1 𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ𝜔𝑡
ෝ + 𝐵1 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ𝜔𝑡)
ෝ
𝑢ሶ 𝑡 = −𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 𝜉𝜔𝐴1 − 𝜔𝐵ෝ 1 𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ𝜔𝑡
ෝ + 𝜉𝜔𝐵1 − 𝜔𝐴
ෝ 1 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ𝜔𝑡
ෝ

• Applying the Initial Conditions 𝑢 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢(0)

ሶ and solve for the
constants 𝐴1 and 𝐵1, we get:
𝜉𝜔𝑢 0 +𝑢(0)
ሶ
𝑢 𝑡 = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 [𝑢(0)𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ𝜔𝑡
ෝ + 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ 𝜔𝑡]
ෝ
𝜔ෝ
Case II: Graphs of overdamped systems (cont…)
Graphical representation
• For 1.2

• 𝑢 0 = 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢ሶ 0 = 0 1

0.8

u(t)
−𝜉𝜔𝑡 𝜉𝜔 0.6
• 𝑢 𝑡 =𝑒 [𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ𝜔𝑡
ෝ + 𝜔ෝ 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ𝜔𝑡]
ෝ
0.4

0.2

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
t (sec)
zeta = 1 zeta = 1.2 zeta = 1.5 zeta = 2

No vibration at all
 CaseIII:III:Underdamped
Case Underdamped System
System
(Subcritical damping (0 < 𝜉 < 1))
This is the most interesting case, and occurs when 𝑐 < 𝑐𝑐𝑟 i.e. when the radical is negative
(0 < 𝜉 < 1)
𝑐 𝑘 𝑐 2
∴ 𝑠1 , 𝑠2 = − ±𝑖 −( )
2𝑚 𝑚 2𝑚

𝑠1 = −𝜉𝜔 + 𝑖𝜔𝐷 ; 𝑠2 = −𝜉𝜔 − 𝑖𝜔𝐷

where 𝜔𝐷 is the damped frequency, and is given by

𝑘 𝑐 2
𝜔𝐷 = − ( ) = 𝜔 1 − 𝜉2
𝑚 2𝑚
𝑐
Where 𝜉 = is the damping ratio.
𝑐𝑐𝑟
 Case III: Underdamped System
(Subcritical damping (0 < 𝜉 < 1))
• The general solution is given by;
u(𝑡) = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 (𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜔𝐷 𝑡 + 𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝐷 𝑡)
𝑢ሶ 𝑡 = −𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 [ 𝜉𝜔𝐴 − 𝜔𝐷 𝐵 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜔𝐷 𝑡 + 𝜉𝜔𝐵 + 𝜔𝐷 𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝐷 𝑡] (2)

• Applying the Initial Conditions 𝑢 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢(0)

ሶ to Equations (1)
and (2) and solve for the constants A and B, we get:

𝜉𝜔𝑢 0 +𝑢(0)
ሶ
• 𝑢 𝑡 = 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 [𝑢(0)𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜔𝐷 𝑡 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝐷 𝑡] (1)
𝜔𝐷
 Case III: Underdamped System (cont…)
Alternatively, Equation (1) can be written as follows

u(𝑡) = 𝑢0 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 𝐶𝑜𝑠(𝜔𝐷 𝑡 − 𝜃)

where
2
ሶ
𝜉𝜔𝑢 0 + 𝑢(0)
𝑢0 = (𝑢 0 )2 +
𝜔𝐷
ሶ
𝜉𝜔𝑢 0 + 𝑢(0)
𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
𝜔𝐷 𝑢(0)
 Graph
Case of Underdamped
III: Underdamped Vibration
System (cont…)
Graph
u(𝑡) = 𝑢0 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 𝐶𝑜𝑠(𝜔𝐷 𝑡 − 𝜃)
Harmonic function modulated by an exponential decaying graph
12
10
8
𝜔𝐷 = 𝜔 1 − 𝜉 2 6
4
2
u(t)

0
-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Time t
16

-4
-6
-8
-10
 Case III: Underdamped System (cont…)
• Effect of damping (𝜉)
 Case III: Underdamped System (Cont…)
The period of vibration is:
2𝜋 2𝜋
𝑇𝐷 = =
𝜔𝐷 𝜔 1 − 𝜉 2
𝜉 is normally between 2 – 10%
𝜔𝐷 = 𝜔 1 − 𝜉 2

𝜔𝐷
֜ = 1 − 𝜉2
𝜔
or
𝜔𝐷 2
+ 𝜉2 = 1 Equation of a circle
𝜔
 Case III: Underdamped System (cont…)

• Structures: 𝜉 ≪ 1.0 𝜔𝐷
• For example: 𝜉 = 0.1 𝜔 2
𝜔𝐷
𝜔𝐷 1.0
+ 𝜉2 = 1
• ֜ = 0.995 ≅ 1.0 𝜔
𝜔

• Therefore for 𝜉 < 10%, 𝜔𝐷 = 𝜔 for all

practical purposes

0.1 1.0 𝜉
 Dynamic Properties Measurement
• Because it is not possible to determine analytically the damping
ratio  for practical structures, this property should be
determined experimentally.
• Free vibration experiments provide one means of determining
the damping.
• In this method the structure is led to vibrate through an initial
excitation, while the amplitude is measured continuously during
the free vibration
• Dynamic characteristics of a structure defined by:𝜔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜉
 Logarithmic
Dynamic Decrement
Properties Measurement
• Logarithmic Decrement
u(𝑡) = 𝑢0 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 𝐶𝑜𝑠(𝜔𝐷 𝑡 − 𝜃)
𝑇𝐷

Consider two successive measured displacements

 Dynamic Properties Measurement (Cont…)
𝑢 𝑡 𝑢𝑜 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔 𝑡 cos(𝜔𝐷 𝑡 − 𝜃) 1
= = −𝜉𝜔𝑇 = 𝑒 𝜉𝜔𝑇𝐷
𝑢 𝑡 + 𝑇𝐷 𝑢𝑜 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑡 𝑒 −𝜉𝜔𝑇𝐷 cos 𝜔𝐷 (𝑡 + 𝑇𝐷 ) − 𝜃 𝑒 𝐷

The natural logarithm of this ratio, called the logarithmic decrement, we

𝑢 𝑡
denote by δ: 𝛿 = ln
𝑢 𝑡+𝑇𝐷

𝑢(𝑡) 𝜔 2𝜋𝜉
𝛿 = ln = 𝜉𝜔𝑇𝐷 = 2𝜋𝜉 ∙ ∴𝛿=
𝑢(𝑡 + 𝑇𝐷 ) 𝜔𝐷 1 − 𝜉2
 Dynamic Properties Measurement (Cont…)
𝛿 𝜉
• =
2𝜋 1−𝜉 2
• Since generally in civil engineering structures 𝜉 is very small
value ( <<1) the 1 − 𝜉 2 can be considered equal to 1.0

• Then the approximate value of 𝜉 can be obtained by the

equation of:
𝛿
𝜉=
2𝜋
 Extension of logarithmic decrement
• If the decay of motion is slow, as is the case for lightly damped
systems, it is desirable to relate the ratio of two amplitudes
several cycles apart, instead of successive amplitudes, to the
damping ratio.
• Let 𝑢𝑛 amplitude at time 𝑡𝑛 ; and
𝑢𝑛+𝑚 amplitude at time 𝑡𝑛 + 𝑚𝑇𝐷 ; m is an integer
 Extension of logarithmic decrement
𝑢𝑛 𝑢𝑛 𝑢𝑛+1 𝑢𝑛+2 𝑢𝑛+𝑚−1
• = ∙ ∙ ⋯ = 𝑒 (𝜉𝜔𝑇𝐷 )∙𝑚 = 𝑒 𝑚𝜉𝜔𝑇𝐷
𝑢𝑛+𝑚 𝑢𝑛+1 𝑢𝑛+2 𝑢𝑛+3 𝑢𝑛+𝑚

• But 𝛿 = 𝜉𝜔𝑇𝐷
𝑢𝑛
∴ = 𝑒 𝑚𝛿
𝑢𝑛+𝑚

1 𝑢𝑛
• 𝛿= ∙ ln and 𝛿 ≈ 2𝜋𝜉
𝑚 𝑢𝑛+𝑚

1 𝑢𝑛 To reduce amplitude by 50%

∴𝜉= ∙ ln 0.11
2𝑚𝜋 𝑢𝑛+𝑚 𝑚=
𝜉
 Reflection: Learning Outcome of module 3
• At the end of this module, the learner has known how to:
– How to establish equations of motion for damped sdof using
d’Alembert principle
– Solve the equation of motion of damped sdof
– Plot the equation of motion; and
– Damped circular frequency and period of natural vibration