Alexandria Higher Institute of Engineering & Technology

Department: Mechatronics
Course Code & Title: EME 302 & Mechanical Vibration 2020/2021
Supervised by: Dr Hany Mohamed Arnaoot
Sheet (4)
Damping Elements
1. A journal bearing is used to provide lateral support to a rotating shaft as shown in Fig.1 . If the radius
of the shaft is R, angular velocity of the shaft is radial clearance between the shaft and the bearing is d,
viscosity of the fluid (lubricant) is and the length of the bearing is l, derive an expression for the
rotational damping constant of the journal bearing. Assume that the leakage of the fluid is negligible.

Figure.1 A journal bearing.

2. Consider two parallel plates separated by a distance ℎ, with a fluid of viscosity between the plates.
Derive an expression for the damping constant when one plate moves with a velocity 𝑣 relative to the
other.

3. A bearing, which can be approximated as two flat plates separated by a thin film of lubricant (Fig.2),
is found to offer a resistance of 400 𝑁 when SAE 30 oil is used as the lubricant and the relative
velocity between the plates is 10 m/s. If the area of the plates (A) is determine the clearance between
the plates. Assume the absolute viscosity of SAE 30 oil as reyn or 0.3445 𝑃𝑎 − 𝑠.

Figure.2 Flat plates separated by thin film of lubricant

4. Consider a system of two dampers, with damping constants and arranged in parallel as shown in Fig.3 .
The rigid bar to which the two dampers are connected remains horizontal when the force 𝐹 is zero.
Determine the equivalent damping constant of the system (𝑐𝑒 ) that relates the force applied (𝐹) to the
resulting velocity (𝑣) as 𝐹 = 𝑐𝑒 𝑣
Hint: Because the damping constants of the two dampers are different and the distances and are not the
same, the rigid bar will not remain horizontal when the force 𝐹 is applied.

Figure.3 Parallel dampers subjected to load

5. Develop an expression for the damping constant of the rotational damper shown in Fig. 4 in terms
of 𝐷, 𝑑, 𝑙, ℎ, 𝜔 and 𝜇 where denotes the constant angular velocity of the inner cylinder, and 𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ
represent the radial and axial clearances between the inner and outer cylinders.

Figure.4 rotational damper

6. Design a piston-cylinder-type viscous damper to achieve a damping constant of 1 𝑙𝑏 − 𝑠𝑒𝑐/𝑖𝑛. using

7. Consider two nonlinear dampers with the same force-velocity relationship given by 𝐹 = 1000 𝑣 +
400 𝑣 2 + 20 𝑣 3 with 𝐹 in newtons and 𝑣 in meters/second. Find the linearized damping constant of
the dampers at an operating velocity of 10 𝑚/𝑠.
a. If the linearized dampers are connected in parallel, determine the resulting equivalent damping
constant.
b. If the linearized dampers are connected in series, determine the resulting equivalent damping
constant.

8. The force-velocity relationship of a nonlinear damper is given by 𝐹 = 500 𝑣 + 100 𝑣 2 +

9. A flat plate with a surface area 0.25 𝑚2 of moves above a parallel flat surface with a lubricant film of
thickness 1.5 𝑚𝑚 in between the two parallel surfaces. If the viscosity of the lubricant is 0.5 𝑃𝑎 − 𝑠,
determine the following:
a. Damping constant.
b. Damping force developed when the plate moves with a velocity of 2 𝑚/𝑠.
10. Find the torsional damping constant of a journal bearing for the following data: Viscosity of the lubricant
𝜇 𝑖𝑠 0.35 𝑃𝑎 − 𝑠, Diameter of the journal or shaft (2 𝑅): 0.05 𝑚, Length of the bearing (𝑙): 0.075 𝑚,
Bearing clearance (d): 0.005 𝑚. If the journal rotates at a speed (𝑁) 𝑜𝑓 3000 rpm, determine the
damping torque developed.

11. If each of the parameters (𝜇, 𝑅, 𝑙, 𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑁) of the journal bearing described in previous problem is
subjected to ± 5 % a variation about the corresponding value given, determine the percentage fluctuation
in the values of the torsional damping constant and the damping torque developed.

Note: The variations in the parameters may have several causes, such as measurement error,
manufacturing tolerances on dimensions, and fluctuations in the operating temperature of the bearing.

12. Consider a piston with an orifice in a cylinder filled with a fluid of viscosity 𝜇 as shown in Fig.5 . As the
piston moves in the cylinder, the fluid flows through the orifice, giving rise to a friction or damping force.
Derive an expression for the force needed to move the piston with a velocity 𝑣 and indicate the type of
damping involved.
Hint: The mass flow rate of the fluid (𝑞) passing through an orifice is given by 𝑞 =∝ √∆ 𝑝 where is a
constant for a given fluid, area of cross section of the cylinder (or area of piston), and area of the orifice.

Figure.5 Piston and cylinder with orifice flow

13. A massless bar of length 1 m is pivoted at one end and subjected to a force F at the other end. Two
translational dampers, with damping constants 𝑐1 = 10𝑁 − 𝑠/𝑚 and 𝑐2 = 15𝑁 − 𝑠/𝑚 are connected to
the bar as shown in Fig. 6. Determine the equivalent damping constant, of the system so that the force F at
point A can be expressed as 𝐹 = 𝑐𝑒 𝑣 where 𝑣 is the linear velocity of point A.

Figure.6 Rigid bar connected by dampers

Figure.7 Dampers connected in series-parallel