Mathematical modeling of

mechanicalsystem
(spring,mass,damper)

Final Exam Report,

This report is submitted to the electrical department,
College of Engineering, Kirkuk University.

Student Name: sedad fackradin abdulrahman

Subject: mathematical modeling of mechanical

system(spring,mass,damper)

Stage: fourth

Student Signature:
Content
1-Introduction on Mechanical translational system
1.1-Mass
1.2-Damper and friction
1.3-spring
2-guideline to determine transfer function of mechanical system
3.1-series and parallel springs
3.2-series and parallel damper
4- analogy with mesh equations
1-Introduction on Mechanical translational system
The model of mechanical translational systems can be obtained by using three basic elements mass,
spring and dash-pot These three elements represents three essential phenomena which occur in
various ways in mechanical systems. The weight of the mechanical system is represented by the
element mass and it is assumed to be concentrated at the center of the body. The elastic deformation
of the body can be represented by a spring. The friction existing in rotating mechanical system can be
represented by the dash-pot The dash-pot is a piston moving inside a cylinder filled with viscous fluid.
When a force is applied to a translational mechanical system, it is opposed by opposing forces due to
mass, friction and elasticity of the system. The force acting on a mechanical body are governed by
Newton's second law of motion. For translational systems it states That the sum of forces acting on a
body is zero. (or Newton's second law states that the sum of applied forces is equal to the sum of
opposing forces on a body)

List of symbols used in mechanical translational system

X=Displacement (m)
𝑑𝑥
V= = Velocity (m/s)
𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑣 𝑑2𝑥
a= = = acceleration (m/s2)
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 2

f= applied force
M = mass (kg)
K = stiffness of spring (N/m)
B = viscous friction coefficient (N.Sec/m)
1.1-mass
Consider an ideal mass element shown in fig 1 which has negligible friction and elasticity. Let a force
be applied on it. The mass will offer an opposing force which is proportional to acceleration of the
body.

Let f = applied force

fm = opposing force due to mass

Fig.1
21
 𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 2
𝑓𝛼 or 𝑓𝑚 = 𝑀
𝑑2 𝑡 𝑑2 𝑡

𝑑𝑥 2
By newton's second law 𝑓𝑚 = 𝑓 = 𝑀
𝑑2 𝑡
1.2-Damper or friction element
Consider an ideal frictional element dastipot shown in fig 2 which has negligible mass and elasticity .
Let a force be applied on it. The dash-pot will offer an opposing force which is proportional to velocity
of the body.

Let f = applied force

fb = opposing force due to mass
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑓𝛼 or 𝑓𝑏 = 𝐵 Fig.2
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑥
By newton's second law 𝑓𝑏 = 𝑓 = 𝐵
𝑑𝑡
When the damper has displacement on both ends as shown in fig.3 the opposing force is proportional
to differential velocity .
𝑑 𝑑
𝑓𝛼 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) or 𝑓𝑏 = 𝐵 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

𝑑
By newton's second law 𝑓𝑏 = 𝑓 = 𝐵 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )
𝑑𝑡

1.3-spring
Fig.3
Consider an ideal elastic element spring shown in fig 4, which has negligible mass and friction. Let a
force be applied on it. The spring will offer an opposing force which is proportional to Displacement of
the body.

Let f = applied force

fk = opposing force due to mass

𝑓 𝛼 𝑥 or 𝑓𝑘 = 𝐾𝑥
Fig.4
By newton's second law 𝑓𝑘 = 𝑓 = 𝐾𝑥
When the spring has displacement on both ends as shown in
fig.5 the opposing force is proportional to differential
displacement .

3 Fig.5
 𝑓𝛼(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) or 𝑓𝑘 = 𝐾(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )

By newton's second law 𝑓𝑘 = 𝑓 = 𝐾(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )

2-Guideline to determine the transfer function of mechanical system
1. In mechanical translational system, the differential equations governing the system -ate obtained
by writing force balance equations at nods in the system. The nods are meeting point of elements.
Generally the nodes are mass elements in the system. In some eases the nodes may be without
mass element.

2. The linear displacement of the masses (nodes) are assumed as ;x1 , x2, x3, etc., and assign a
displacement to each mass(node) . The fast derivative of the displacement is velocity and the second
derivative of the displacement is acceleration.

3. Draw the free body diagrams of the system . The free body diagram is obtained by drawing each
mass separately and then marking all the forces acting on that mass (node). Always the opposing
force acts in a direction opposite to applied force. The mass has to move in the direction of the
applied force. Hence the displacement, velocity and acceleration of the mass will be in the direction of
the applied force. If there is no applied force then the displacement, velocity and acceleration of the
mass will be in a direction opposite to that of opposing force.

4. For each free body diagram, write one differential equation by equating the sum of applied forces
to the sum of opposing forces. Take Laplace transform of differential equations to convert them to
algebraic equations. Then rearrange the s-domain equations to eliminate the unwanted variables and
obtain the ratio between output variable and input variable. This ratio is the transfer function of the
system

PROBLEM: Find the transfer function𝑋(𝑠) ∕ 𝐹(𝑠), for the system of Figure 6.

Solution :

There is only one mass and one node in the diagram,so writing the
equilibrium equation.

ⅆ 2 𝑥(𝑡) ⅆ𝑥(𝑡)
𝑀 + 𝐵 + 𝐾𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑓(𝑡)
ⅆ𝑡 2 ⅆ𝑡 Figure 6

Taking Laplace transform

𝑀𝑠 2 𝑥(𝑠) + 𝐵𝑠𝑥(𝑠) + 𝐾𝑥(𝑠) = 𝐹(𝑠)

4
𝑥(𝑠)[𝑀𝑠 2 + 𝐵𝑠 + 𝐾] = 𝐹(𝑠)

𝑥(𝑠) 1
=
𝐹(𝑠) 𝑀𝑠 2 + 𝐵𝑠 + 𝑘

3.1-Series and parallel springs

Figure 7

Let us obtain the equivalent spring constants for the systems shown in Figures 7 and (b),
respectively.

For the springs in parallel [Figure 7(a)] the equivalent spring constant 𝑘eq is obtained

from
𝑘1 𝑥 + 𝑘2 𝑥 = 𝐹 = 𝑘ec1 𝑥
or
𝑘eq = 𝑘1 + 𝑘2

For the springs in series [Figure7(b)] , the force in each spring is the same. Thus
𝑘1 𝑦 = 𝐹, 𝑘2 (𝑥 − 𝑦) = 𝐹
Elimination of 𝑦 from these two equations results in
𝐹
𝑘2 (𝑥 − )=𝐹
𝑘1
or
𝑘2 𝑘1 + 𝑘2
𝑘2 𝑥 = 𝐹 + 𝐹= 𝐹
𝑘1 𝑘1
The equivalent spring constant 𝑘ec1 for this case is then found as

𝐹 𝑘1 𝑘2 1
𝑘ec1 = = =
𝑋 𝑘1 + 𝑘2 1 1
+
𝑘1 𝑘2

5
Series and parallel dampers

Figure 8

(a) The force 𝑓 due to the dampers is

𝑓 = 𝑏1 (𝑦 − 𝑥) + 𝑏2 (𝑦 − 𝑥) = (𝑏1 + 𝑏2 )(𝑦 − 𝑥)

In terms of the equivalent viscous‐friction coefficient 𝑏ec1 , force 𝑓 is given by

𝑓 = 𝑏ec1 (𝑦 − 𝑥)

Hence

𝑏eq = 𝑏1 + 𝑏2

(b) The force 𝑓 due to the dampers is

𝑓 = 𝑏1 (𝑧̇ − 𝑥) = 𝑏2 (𝑦̇ − 𝑧) (3‐1)

where 𝑧 is the displacement of a point between damper 𝑏1 and damper 𝑏2 . (Note that the

same force is transmitted through the shaft.) From Equation (3‐1), we have

(𝑏1 + 𝑏2 )𝑍̇ = 𝑏2 𝑦̇ + 𝑏1 𝑥̇

or

1
𝑧=𝑏 (𝑏2 𝑦̇ + 𝑏1 𝑥) (3‐2)
1 +𝑏2

In terms of the equivalent viscous‐friction coefficient 𝑏ec1 , force 𝑓 is given by

6
 𝑓 = 𝑏ec1 (𝑦 − 𝑥)

By substituting Equation (3‐2) into Equation (3‐1), we have

1
𝑓 = 𝑏2 (𝑦̇ − 𝑧) = 𝑏2 [𝑦̇ − (𝑏 𝑦̇ + 𝑏1 𝑥̇ )]
𝑏1 + 𝑏2 2

𝑏1 𝑏2
= (𝑦̇ − 𝑥̇ )
𝑏1 + 𝑏2

Thus,

𝑏1 𝑏2
𝑓 = 𝑏ec1 (𝑦 − 𝑥) = (𝑦 − 𝑥)
𝑏1 + 𝑏2

Hence,

𝑏1 𝑏2 1
𝑏eq = =
𝑏1 + 𝑏2 1 1
+
𝑏1 𝑏2

4-analogy with mesh equations

can we parallel our work with electrical networks by circumventing the writing of differential equations
and by defining impedances for mechanical components? If so, we can apply to mechanical systems
the problem-solving techniques used to solve electric systems. Taking the Laplace transform of the
force-displacement relations, we obtain for spring.
𝐹(𝑠) = 𝐾𝑋(𝑠)
For viscous damper
𝐹(𝑠) = 𝐵𝑆𝑋(𝑠)
For mass
𝐹(𝑠) = 𝑀𝑆 2 𝑋(𝑠)
Defining impedance for mechanical system
𝐹(𝑠)
𝑧(𝑠) =
𝑥(𝑠)
We can use the following approach to write equations of mechanical system
 Refrences
Modern control engineering by Katsuhiko Ogata
Control system by nagoor kani
Control systems engineering by norman S.NISE

77