Chapter 2

Free Vibration of SDOF Systems

Dr. Adil Zekaria (AAIT)

Undamped free vibration

• The structure is disturbed from its static equilibrium and then

vibrates without any applied forces. u(t )
k
m
• The equation of motion is: m&u&+ku=0

• The solution is: u(t ) = A cos(ωnt ) + B sin(ωnt )

ωn = k m (rad/s) natural circular frequency

A and B are determined by the initial conditions ut =0 = u(0) → u(0)= A

u& t =0 = u&(0) → u&(0)= Bωn

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.2

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 Undamped free vibration
(Cont’d)
• Rewriting u& (0)
u ( t ) = u(0) cos(ωn t ) + sin(ωn t )
ωn

which can be written as u ( t ) = ρ sin(ωn t + θ )

u& (0) ωn u (0)

ρ = [u(0)]2 + [u& (0) ωn ]2 cosθ = sin θ =
ρ ρ

u natural period
2π
u&o
ú(0) Tn = (s)
Cρ ωn
uo
u(0)
t
natural frequency

Tn 1 ωn
fn = = (Hz)
Tn 2 π

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.3

ODE Solution derivation (undamped)

The solution of the ODE m &u& + k u = 0 has the form

u = eλ t

where λ is unknown. Substituting u in the differential equation

( mλ2 + k )eλt = 0

The exponential term is never zero. The characteristic equation is

mλ2 + k = 0 ⇒ λ1,2 = ±iωn

u ( t ) = A1e λ1t + A 2eλ2 t
The general solution of the ODE is u ( t ) = A eiωn t + A e −iωn t
1 2

eix − e − ix eix + e − ix
Since sin x = and cos x =
2i 2
∴⇒ u ( t ) = A cos ωn t + B sin ωn t

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 Energy in undamped free vibration

• At each instant of time, the total energy E is made of two

parts, the kinetic energy Ek and the strain energy Es.
1 1
Ek (t ) = m u& (t )2 Es (t ) = k u(t )2
2 2

E(t ) = E k ( t) + Es (t )
1 1
= m [ρ ωn cos(ωn t + θ )] + k [ρ sin(ωn t + θ )]
2 2

2 2 E(t) is constant, which implies

1 1 conservation of energy.
= mρ 2ωn2 cos 2 (ωn t + θ ) + k ρ 2 sin 2 (ωn t + θ )
2 2
1 2
= kρ ( k = mωn2 )
2

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.5

Energy in undamped free vibration

(Cont’d)
u
• E = max
s
Ek = 0

Es = max
Es = 0 Ek = 0
E k = max

Remark : the conservation of energy can be

used to derive the differential equation.
1 1 dE
E (t ) = m u& 2 + k u 2 conservati on of energy → =0
2 2 dt
dE
= mu&u&& + kuu& = 0 → mu&& + ku = 0
dt

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 Example 1
m = 10 kg; k= 100 N/m

(a) u(0) = 20 mm, ú(0) = 0 (b) u(0) = 0, ú(0) = 50 mm/s

(c) u(0) = 20 mm, ú(0) = 50 mm/s

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.7

Viscously Damped Free Vibration

• Energy loss in the structure is idealized by a linear viscous

damper which develops a force proportional to the velocity
u(t )

fD = − c u&(t) c
m
k
The equation of motion is: m u&& + c u& + k u = 0

if c < ccr = 2 km (critical damping) the solution is u (t ) = e −ξωnt [A cos(ω Dt ) + B sin(ω Dt )]

damping ratio damped frequency

c c c
ξ= = = ω D = ωn 1 − ξ 2
ccr 2 km 2ωn m

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 ODE Solution derivation (damped)
The solution of the ODE m &u& + cu& + k u = 0 has the form

u = eλ t

where λ is unknown. Substituting u in the differential equation

(mλ2 + cλ + k )e λt = 0 (λ2 + 2ζω n λ + ω n2 )eλt = 0

The exponential term is never zero. The characteristic equation is

− 2ωnζ ± 4ωn2ζ 2 − 4ωn2
λ2 + 2ζω n λ + ωn2 = 0 ⇒ λ1, 2 = = − ωn ζ ± ω n ζ 2 − 1
2

The solution depends on the relative magnitude of ζ relative to 1

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.9

Viscously Damped Free Vibration

(Cont’d)
• ζ < 1 : Sub-critical damping c < ccr or Under
Under--damped system

Oscillatory response occurs only in this case
• ζ = 1 : Critical damping c = ccr

No oscillatory response occurs
• ζ > 1 : Super-critical damping c > ccr or Over
Over--damped system

No oscillatory response occurs

• Therefore, ζ = 1 or c = ccr (where ccr = 2 km = 2ωn m ) represents

the dividing line between oscillatory and non-oscillatory
motion

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 Viscously Damped Free Vibration
(Cont’d)

The general solution of the ODE is for under-damped system is

u(t ) = e−ξωnt [A cos(ωDt ) + Bsin(ωDt )] ωD = ωn 1−ξ2

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.11

Viscously Damped Free Vibration

(Cont’d)
• A and B are determined from the initial condition
u& (t ) = −ξω n e −ξω nt [A cos(ω Dt ) + B sin(ω Dt )] u t =0 = u (0) → u (0) = A
−ξω nt u& t =0 = u& (0) → u& (0) = −ξω n A + B ω D
+e [− A ω D sin(ω Dt ) + B ω D cos(ω Dt )]

 u& (0) + ξω n u (0) 

u ( t ) = e −ξω n t u (0) cos(ωD t ) + sin(ωD t )
 ωD 

The solution can also be written as

u ( t ) = ρ e −ξωn t sin(ωD t + θ )

2
 u& (0) + ξωn u (0)  u (0) u& (0) + ξωn u (0)
ρ = [u(0)]2 +   sin θ = cos θ =
ρ ρ ωD
 ωD 

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 Example 2
m = 10 kg; k= 100 N/m; ζ - varies

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.13

Viscously Damped Free Vibration

(Cont’d)

A free vibration test can be used to determine experimentally the

natural frequency and the damping of a structure.

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 Viscously Damped Free Vibration
(Cont’d)
j periods between two maximal t n + j = t n + jTD
points u n and u n + j

un ρ e − ξωn t n sin (ω D t n + θ)
= − ξω n (t n + jTD )
u n+ j ρe sin (ωD (t n + jTD ) + θ)
= e ξωn jTD

un 2π
ln = ξ ω n j TD = ξ ω n j
u n+ j ωn 1 − ξ 2

1 u
ξ < 0.2 → 1−ξ 2 ≈ 1 → ξ = ln n
2πj u n + j

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.15

Coulomb-Damped Free Vibration

• Coulomb damping results from friction against sliding of two dry surfaces.
• The friction force is F = µ N where µ denotes the coefficients of static and
kinetic friction, taken to be equal, and N the normal force between the
sliding surfaces.
• F is assumed to be independent of the velocity of the motion and its
direction opposes motion.
The equations of motion from left to right are
m u&& + k u = − F u(t )
k
u(t ) = A1 cos(ωnt ) + B1 sin(ω nt ) − F / k dry friction
m
F
The equations of motion from right to left are
m u&& + k u = F

u (t ) = A 2 cos(ωnt ) + B2 sin(ωnt ) + F / k

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 Coulomb-Damped Free Vibration
(Cont’d)
• The constants A1, B1, A2, B2
u
The plot of the solution is
depend on the initial conditions
of each successive half-cycle Linear decay
motion. Each of the two DE is
linear but the overall problem is
nonlinear because the governing
equation changes every half-
cycle of motion. t

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.17

Exercise Problems

For additional problems refer to the questions in the reference books

Dr. Adil Z. (AAIT) Free Vibration of SDOF Systems 1.18