Mechanical Vibrations

BASE EXCITATION
Base excitation problem models the motion of an object of mass m as being excited by a
prescribed harmonic displacement acting through the spring and damper.

Summing the relevant forces on the mass m, yields

m&x& + c( x& − y& ) + k ( x − y ) = 0
It is assumed that the base moves harmonically,
y (t ) = Y sin ω b t

Substitution of y (t ) into the equation of motion yields, after some rearrangement,

m&x& + cx& + kx = cYω b cos ω b t + kY sin ω b t

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This can be thought of as a mass-spring-damper system with two harmonic inputs.

Dividing equation of motion by m and using the definitions of damping ratio and natural
frequency yields
&x& + 2ζω n x& + ω n2 x = 2ζω n ω b Y cos ω b t + ω n2 Y sin ω b t

The above is a linear constant coefficients ordinary differential equation. The principle of
superposition can be used to obtain the response of the system. First, we will solve the
following problem for the first particular solution:
&x& + 2ζω n x& + ω n2 x = 2ζω n ω b Y cos ω b t

Using the response equations of the harmonically excited oscillations and substituting
f 0 = 2ζω n ω b Y

yields that the particular solution x (p1) due to the cosine excitation is
2ζω n ω b Y
x (p1) = cos(ω b t − θ 1 )
(ω n2 − ω b2 ) 2 + (2ζω n ω b ) 2

where
2ζω n ω b
θ 1 = tan −1
ω n2 − ω b2
To calculate x (p2) the method of undetermined coefficients is applied again with the
harmonic excitation problem
&x& + 2ζω n x& + ω n2 x = ω n2 Y sin ω b t

Following the procedures used to calculate the particular solution in previous note leads to
ω n2 Y
x ( 2)
p = sin(ω b t − θ 1 )
(ω n2 − ω b2 ) 2 + (2ζω n ω b ) 2

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Adding solutions as
x p = x (p1) + x (p2)
1/ 2
⎡ ω n2 + (2ζω b ) 2 ⎤
x p = ω nY ⎢ 2 2 ⎥
cos(ω b t − θ 1 − θ 2 )
⎣ (ω n − ω b ) + (2ζω n ω b ) ⎦
2 2

where
ωn
θ 2 = tan −1
2ζω b
It is convenient to denote the magnitude of the particular solution,
1/ 2
⎡ 1 + (2ζr ) 2 ⎤
X =Y⎢ 2 ⎥
⎢⎣ (1 − r ) + (2ζr ) ⎥⎦
2 2

where the frequency ratio r = ω / ω n . Dividing this last expression by the magnitude of base
motion, Y, yields
1/ 2
X ⎡ 1 + (2ζr ) 2 ⎤
=⎢ ⎥
Y ⎣⎢ (1 − r 2 ) 2 + (2ζr ) 2 ⎦⎥

This ratio is called the displacement transmissibility and is used to describe how much of the
motion is transmitted from the base to the mass as a function of the frequency ratio r. Note
that near r = 1 , or resonance, the maximum amount of base motion is transferred to
displacement of the mass, as shown in the following figure. From the previous equation, it
can be noticed that at r = 2 , the displacement transmissibility is 1, regardless of the
damping ratio in the system.

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Another quantity of interest in the base excitation problem is the force transmitted to the
mass as the result of a harmonic displacement of the base.
F (t ) = k ( x − y ) + c( x& − y& )

This force must balance the inertial force of the mass m; thus
F (t ) = −m&x&

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In the steady state, using the solution for x, differentiating it twice and substituting into
previous equation yields
1/ 2
⎡ ω n2 + (2ζω b ) 2 ⎤
F (t ) = mω ω n Y ⎢ 2
2
2 ⎥
cos(ω b t − θ 1 − θ 2 )
⎣ (ω n − ω b ) + (2ζω n ω b ) ⎦
b 2 2

The previous equation with some manipulations is used to define force transmissibility by
forming the ratio
1/ 2
FT ⎡ 1 + (2ζr ) 2 ⎤
= r2⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ (1 − r ) + (2ζr ) ⎥⎦
2 2 2
kY

This force transmissibility ratio, FT / kY , expresses a dimensionless measure of how

displacement in the base of amplitude Y results in a force magnitude applied to the mass.
From the previous equation, it can be noticed that at r = 2 , the displacement
transmissibility is 2, regardless of the damping ratio in the system.

.
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Mechanical Vibrations

EXAMPLE
A very common example of base motion is the single-degree-of-freedom model of an
automobile driving over a rough road or an airplane taxiing over a rough runway, indicated
in the figure below. The road is approximated as sinusoidal in cross section providing a base
motion displacement of
y (t ) = (0.01 m) sin ω b t

where
⎛ ⎞⎛ hour ⎞⎛ 2π rad ⎞
ω b = v(km/h )⎜⎜
1
⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.2909v rad/s
⎝ 0.006 km ⎠⎝ 3600 s ⎠⎝ cycle ⎠
where v denotes the vehicle’s velocity in km/h. Thus the vehicle’s speed determines the
frequency of the base motion. Determine the effect of speed on the amplitude of
displacement of the automobile as well as the effect of the value of the car’s mass. Assume
that the suspension system provides an equivalent stiffness of 4 ×10 5 N/m and damping of
2 ×10 4 N s/m.

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Solution
4 × 10 5
ωn = = 19.93 rad/s
1007
Assuming that the vehicle is traveling at a speed of 20 km/h, so that
ω b = 0.2909v = 0.2909(20) = 5.818 rad/s
r = ω b / ω n = 5.818 / 19.93 = 0.292

and
c / m 20,000 / 1007
ζ = = = 0.498
2ω n 2(19.93)
The deflection experienced by the car will be
1/ 2
⎡ 1 + (2ζr ) 2 ⎤
X =Y⎢ 2 ⎥
⎣⎢ (1 − r ) + (2ζr ) ⎦⎥
2 2

1 + [2(0.498)(0.292)] 2
= (0.01) = 0.0108 m
[1 − (0.292) 2 ] 2 + [2(0.498)(0.292)] 2

This means that a 1 cm bump in the road is transmitted into a 1.1 cm “bump” experienced
by the chassis and subsequently transmitted to the occupants. Hence the suspension system
amplifies the rough road bumps in this circumstance.
Table 2.1 lists several different values of the vehicle displacement for two different vehicles
traveling at four different speeds over the same 1 cm bump. Car 1 is a 1007 kg sports car,
while car 2 is a 1585 kg sedan. The same suspension system was used on both cars to
illustrate the need to design suspension systems based on a given vehicle’s specifications.
Note that with higher speed, less vibration is experienced by the occupants of the larger car.

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Also, notice that the suspension system parameters chosen (k and c) work better in general
for the larger car except at very low speeds.

EXAMPLE
A large rotating machine causes the floor of a factory to oscillate sinusoidally. A punch
press is to be mounted on the same floor. The displacement of the floor at the point where
the punch press is to be mounted is measured to be y (t ) = 0.1 sin ωt cm. Using the base
support model of this section, calculate the maximum force transmitted to the punch press
at resonance if the machine is mounted on a rubber fitting of stiffness, k = 40,000 N/m;
damping, c = 900 N s/m; and mass, m = 3000 kg.
Solution
The force transmitted to the machine is given by
1/ 2
FT ⎡ 1 + (2ζr ) 2 ⎤
= r2⎢ 2 ⎥
⎣⎢ (1 − r ) + (2ζr ) ⎦⎥
2 2
kY

At resonance r = 1
1/ 2
FT ⎡1 + (2ζ ) 2 ⎤
=⎢ ⎥
kY ⎣ (2ζ ) 2 ⎦

or

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kY
FT = (1 + 4ζ 2 ) 1 / 2
2ζ
c/m c 900
ζ = = = = 0.041
2ω n 2 km 2 (40,000)(3000)

Then
kY (40,000)(0.001)
FT = (1 + 4ζ 2 ) 1 / 2 = (1 + 4(0.041) 2 ) 1 / 2 = 489.4 N
2ζ 2(0.041)

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