BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY
BAHIR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECNOLOGY
FACULTY OF MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
Mechanical Vibration Worksheet and Individual Assignment-1
Assignment Questions 1, 2, 4, 6, 9(c),10(d), 11
(Submission Date 12/03/2024)
1. An automobile moving over a rough road as shown in the Figure below can be modeled
considering (a) weight of the car body, passengers, seats, front wheels, and rear wheels; (b)
elasticity of tires (suspension), main springs, and seats; and (c) damping of the seats, shock
absorbers, and tires. Develop three mathematical models of the system using a gradual
refinement in the modeling process.
2. Model the system shown in Figure below by a block attached to a single spring of an
equivalent stiffness and determine its natural frequency.
3. Derive the equation of motion of the spring – mass system shown in Figure below, using
the following methods: (a) Newton’s second law of motion, (b) D’Alembert’s principle,
(c) principle of virtual work, and (d) principle of conservation of energy
4. Determine the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the mass of a spring-mass system
with 𝑘 = 500 N/m, 𝑚 = 2 kg, 𝑥0 = 0.1 m, and 𝑥̇ 0 = 5 m/s.
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5. Determine the undamped and damped natural frequencies of vibration and the damping
ratio of a damped single-degree-of-freedom system for (a) m = 5 kg, c = 500 N-s/m, and k
= 5000 N/m, (b) m = 5 kg, c = 500 N-s/m, and k = 50,000 N/m, and (c) m = 5 kg, c = 1000
N-s/m, and k = 50,000 N/m. For each case, state whether the system is underdamped,
overdamped or critically damped?
6. The free vibrations of a system are governed by the differential equation 2𝑥̈ + 40𝑥̇ +
1800𝑥 with initial conditions 𝑥(0) = 0.001𝑚 and 𝑥̇ (0) = 3𝑚/𝑠. Calculate or specify the
following:
a. The natural frequency, 𝜔𝑛
b. The damping ratio, 𝜁
c. Whether the system is undamped, underdamped, critically damped, or overdamped
d. The undamped period, 𝜏
e. The frequency in Hz, f
f. The damped natural frequency (if appropriate), 𝜔𝑑
g. The logarithmic decrement (if appropriate), 𝛿
h. The amplitude, A
i. The phase between the response and a pure sinusoid (if appropriate), ∅
j. The free response of the system
7. Find the responses of systems governed by the following equations of motion for the initial
conditions 𝑥(0) = 1 m, and 𝑥̇ (0) = −1
a. 2𝑥̈ + 8𝑥̇ + 16𝑥 =0
b. 3𝑥̈ + 12𝑥̇ + 9𝑥 =0
c. 2𝑥̈ + 8𝑥̇ + 8𝑥 =0
8. A weight of 50 N is suspended from a spring of stiffness 4000 N/m and is subjected to a
harmonic force of amplitude 60 N and frequency 6 Hz. Find (a) the extension of the spring
due to the suspended weight, (b) the static displacement of the spring due to the maximum
applied force, and (c) the amplitude of forced motion of the weight.
9. Consider a spring-mass system, with k = 4000 N/m and m = 10 kg, subject to a harmonic
force F(t)= 400 cos 30t N. Find and plot the total response of the system under the following
initial conditions:
a. 𝑥0 = 0.1 𝑚 and 𝑥̇ 0 = 0
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b. 𝑥0 = 0 and 𝑥̇ 0 = 10 𝑚/𝑠
c. 𝑥0 = 0.1 𝑚 and 𝑥̇ 0 = 10 𝑚/𝑠
10. Consider a spring-mass-damper system with k = 4000 N/m, m = 10 kg, and c = 40 N-s/m.
Find the steady-state and total responses of the system under the harmonic force F(t) = 200
cos 10t N and the initial conditions:
a. 𝑥0 = 0 and 𝑥̇ 0 = 0
b. 𝑥0 = 0.1 𝑚 and 𝑥̇ 0 = 0
c. 𝑥0 = 0 and 𝑥̇ 0 = 10 𝑚/𝑠
d. 𝑥0 = 0.1 𝑚 and 𝑥̇ 0 = 10 𝑚/𝑠
11. A railroad car of mass 2000 kg traveling at a velocity 𝑣 = 10 m/s is stopped at the end
of the tracks by a spring-damper system, as shown in Figure below. If the stiffness of the
spring is 𝑘 = 80 N/mm and the damping constant is c = 20 N-s/mm, determine (a) the
maximum displacement of the car after engaging the springs and damper and (b) the time
taken to reach the maximum displacement.
