ME 4060/5060

Machine Vibrations
Problem Set 2

Problem Set 2
Problem 1
(Forced Vibration)
For the system shown below, determine the amplitude of the steady state displacement of
point A for forced vibration.

pivot, O
F (t)= 0.01 Sin 250 t m=5 kg, length =L
A beam
a=3.0 m b=1.0 m

c = 400 N.s/m
K=100,000 N/m

For a bar, J G =mL2 /12.

Problem Set 2
Problem 2 (Forced Vibration)

A steel frame supports a turbine –driven exhaust fan. At a speed of 400 rpm, the amplitude
of motion is 4.5 mm measured at the floor level of the fan. At a speed of 500 rpm, the
amplitude is 10 mm. No resonant condition is observed in changing speed from 400 to 500
rpm. To decrease this intolerable vibration, it is proposed to add a slab of concrete beneath
the turbine. The mass of the slab is chosen such that the total mass of the system with the
fan is doubled. Does this solve the vibration problem?

Problem Set 2
Problem 3
(Forced Vibration)
Determine the amplitude of the steady state displacement of the mass for forced vibration.

c= 100 N.s/m K1=30,000 N/m

m= 2.8 kg
x(t)

K2= 15,000 N/m

y (t) = 0.02 sin(100t)

Problem Set 2
Problem 4
(Base Motion)

During an earthquake, the one-story frame structure shown below is subjected to a ground
vibration amplitude of 0.1 m at 10 Hz. a) Determine the amplitude of motion of the girder.
Assume the girder is rigid and the structure has a damping ratio of 0.03.
b) What is the amplitude of acceleration of the structure?

x(t)

Columns Girder
mass=150Kg.
K= 1.8 MN/m
y(t)

Ground

Problem Set 2
Problem 5
(Base Motion)

A fragile instrument and its housing, which together weigh 10 lbs, are mounted on four
symmetrically located identical springs as a means of isolating the instrument from the
vibration of the table supporting it. Measurements indicate that the table reaches a
maximum amplitude of 0.004 inch somewhere in the frequency range of 20 to 30 Hz.
Determine the spring constant k of each spring so that the amplitude of vibration of the
instrument will be limited to 0.0002 inch as a maximum.

Problem Set 2
Problem 6 (Base Motion)
A sensitive computer is being transported by rail in a box car. Acelerometer measurements
indicate that when the train is traveling at its normal speed of 85 m/s the dominant component
of the box car’s vertical acceleration is 8.5 m/s2 at a frequency of 5.73 Hz. The crate in which
the computer is being transported is being tied to the floor of the boxcar. What is the required
stiffness of the isolator with a damping raito of 0.5 such that the acceleration amplitude of the
60 kg computer is less than 0.5 m/s2? With this isolator, what is the displacement of the
computer relative to the crate?

Problem Set 2
Problem 7

(Force Transmissibility)
A pump system is to be installed as shown in the diagram below. The pump and the base
have a combined mass of 150 kg. The pump operates at 1750 rpm with a maximum
unbalance of 0.002 kg-m. The isolation system has an equivalent stiffness of 7.3 x 10 6 N/m,
and a damping ratio of 0.1. Determine:

a) The steady state displacement amplitude of the pump

Pump
x

base

k c

Problem Set 2
Problem 8
(Force Transmissibility)
An air compressor having a mass of 80 kg and operating at a speed of 600 rpm was recently
purchased by ABC corporation. The company is investigating suitable isolators to mount
the compressor to the foundation. It is desired to limit the force transmitted to the base to a
Transmissibility Ratio (TR) of 2.5 as the compressor passes through the resonance during
startup. In addition, an isolation, of 90% (i.e. 10% TR) is to be achieved at the operating
speed of the machine.

Design a suitable isolator for the compressor. Your design should specify both the viscous
damping coefficient (C) for the damper, and the spring constant (K) for the stiffness
element.

Problem Set 2
Problem 9
(Rotating Unbalance)
A variable speed compressor operates between 400 and 600 rpm. The compressor has a mass
of 450 kg and is mounted on springs having stiffness of 2000 kN/m.

a.) Determine the maximum unbalance (me) allowed if the maximum allowable
displacement within the operating speed range is 0.5 mm assuming no
damping.
b.) Repeat part a, if damping is added with c=2000 N*s/m.

Problem Set 2
Problem 10
(Rotating Unbalance)
A variable speed electric motor, having an unbalance, is mounted on an isolator. As the
speed of the motor is increased from zero, the amplitudes of the vibration of the motor
have been observed to be 0.55 in. at resonance and 0.15 in. beyond resonance (i.e. far
away from resonance). Find the damping ratio of the suspension system.

Problem Set 2
Problem 11
(Force Transmissibility & Rotating Unbalance))
A simplified model of a washing machine is illustrated in the figure below. A bundle of wet
clothes forms a mass of 1 kg (mu) in the machine and causes a rotating unbalance. The total
mass of the washer includes the clothes is 20 kg (M) and the radius of the washer basket (e)
is 0.25 m. Assume that the spin cycle rotates at 300 rpm. Let K be 1000 N/m and =0.01.

a.) Calculate the magnitude of the unbalance force causing the vibration of the
machine.
b.) What percent of the above force is transmitted to the foundation?
c.) Calculate the magnitude of the force transmitted into the foundation?
d.) Suggest and EXPLAIN two ways of reducing the force transmission to the
foundation without altering the speed of the spin cycle.
i.)
ii.)

Problem Set 2
Problem 12
(Force Transmissibility)
A compressor as shown in the figure below has a mass m of 934 kg, and operates at 1800
rpm. At the operating speed, undesirable vibration occurs when the compressor is attached
directly to the floor of a small building in a manufacturing plant. To reduce this problem, it is
proposed to isolate the compressor by mounting it on a square concrete block as shown. The
density of the concrete in the block has been measured to be 2402 kg/m3, and the stiffness of
the block and soil has been experimentally determined to be 81.44 x 106 N/m. The geometry
of the block leads to choosing a block of 2 by 2 m. You are asked to determine the depth h of
the block that will yield a 75 percent reduction in the force transmitted by the compressor-
block system to the supporting soil. You may neglect the damping of the block in your
calculations and use the model in Fig. (b) below.

Problem Set 2
Problem 13
(Rotating Unbalance)
One of the tail rotor blades of a helicopter has an unbalance mass of m=0.5 kg at a distance of
e=0.15 m from the axis of rotation, as shown in the figure below. The tail section has a
length of 4 m, a mass of 240 kg, a flexural stiffness (EI) of 2.5 x 106 N-m2, and a damping
ratio of 0.15. The mass of the tail rotor blades, including their drive system is 20 kg.
Determine the amplitude of steady state response of the tail section when the blade rotates at
1500 rpm.

Problem Set 2