Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Outline of Lecture 9

□ Continuous Systems.
□ Introduction to Continuous Systems.
□ Continuous Systems. Strings, Torsional Rods and Beams.
■ Vibrations of Flexible Strings.
■ Torsional Vibration of Rods.
■ Bernoulli-Euler Beams.
■ Undamped Eigenvibrations.
■ Orthogonality Property of Eigenmodes.
■ Forced Vibrations of a Bernoulli-Euler Beam Element.

1
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Continuous Systems
□ Introduction to Continuous Systems

E l : Bending stiffness
'////?/,
around z - axis.
!i : Mass per unit
length.

V/////, -777777)
ui(t) U2 (t) U 3( t ) U4(t)

U ( X, t)
'////>/,

Figure 1: a) SDOF system, b) 4DOF system, c) Continuous system

2
 Structural Dynamics

UN I VERSITET
Lecture 9

■ Discrete system (SDOF, MDOF) : Discrete distribution of mass or mass

moment of inertia. Finite many dofs.
■ Continuous system ( n = oo) : Continuous distribution of mass.
Infinite many dofs.

Elasticity may be continuously distributed in all cases. The discretization

approach illustrated in Figs. 1a and 1b are referred to as the lumped mass
method.
Mass distributing functions:

■ One-dimensional structures (strings, bars, beams):

/ i = f i ( x ) : Mass per unit length, [kg/m].

■ Two-dimensional structures (slabs, plates, shells):

y = f j i ( x , y ) : Mass per unit area, [kg/m2].

■ Three-dimensional continua:
y = f j , ( x , y, z) : Mass per unit volume (mass density), [kg/m3].

3
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Continuous Systems. Strings, Torsional Rods and Beams

□ Vibrations of Flexible Strings
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

T
: Constant pre-stressing force of string.
p(x,t)
: Dynamic load per unit length in the y -direction.
: Constant mass per unit length.
u ( x yt )
: Displacement in the y -direction.
6(x, t)
: Rotation angle of cross-section in the z -direction.
l
: Length of string.

5
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

D’Alembert’s principle:

The inertial load per unit length —yd is added to the external load
p ( x , t ) d x on a differential string element of the length d x .

“Static” equilibrium in the y-direction of the free string element (mass

particle):

du 1
6(x, t) / X
dx

d 2u y d
(2)
dx2 T~d&

6
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9

Boundary conditions:
w(0, t ) = u ( l , 0 (3)
Initial conditions:

uo(x), u o ( x ) must be known for all differential string elements (mass

particles).

Eigenvibrations ( p ( x , t ) = 0 ):

(5) is known as the wave equation, c is the phase velocity.

 Structural Dynamics

UN I VERSITET
Lecture 9

General solution to (5) :

u(x, t) = F ( x — ct) + G(x + ct) (6)

F ( x — c t ) : Wave propagating in the positive -direction (same

displacement at positions and times, where x — c t = const).
G ( x + c t ) : Wave propagating in the negative x -direction.

(6) is due to d’Alembert. The relation follows from the following identities:

where F " ( y ) denotes the 2nd derivative of F { y ) with respect to the

argument y .

8
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9

Fix 2 — ct2)

X2 = Xl + c(t2 ~ l)

F i x i - cii)

C(t2 ~ l)

Figure 3: Non-dispersive wave propagation in the positive ^-direction

a) Displacement at the time t = £2. b) Displacement at the time

9
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The shape of the wave is preserved during the wave propagation. This is
referred to as non-dispersive wave propagation.

All harmonic components in the Fourier series expansion of F ( t ) and

G ( t ) travel with same velocity c, i.e. c does not depend on the frequency.

10
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Solution by separation of variables:

Product solutions to the homogeneous wave equation are searched on the

form:

Insertion in Eq. (5):

& " ( x ) q ( t ) --\ & ( x ) q ( t ) = 0 =>
c2
c 2& ' ( x ) q(t)_
(9)
q(t)

The left-hand side of Eq. (9) is a function of , and the right-hand side is a
function of t . This can only be true, if the left- and right-hand sides are
equal to the same constant, which is chosen as -u;2. Hence, product
solutions of the type (8) are only solutions to (5), if the following
equations are fulfilled by the functions & ( z ) and q ( t ) :

11
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The solutions to (10) and (11) are given as:

( t i t ) ■ ■ A sin + B cos (12)

C sin ( c u t ) + D cos (13)

Boundary conditions:
The displacement vanishes at the end of the string at all times:
u ( 0 , t ) = u ( l , t ) = 0 => 4>(0)g(t) = & ( l ) q ( t ) = 0 =>

$(0) = 0 1
(14)
*(0 = o J
Insertion of (14) in (12):

12
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

$(0) = 0 => 0

<£(/) = 0 => A sin = 0

The 2nd equation of (15) may be fulfilled for A = 0 . However, with

B = 0 this leads to <£>(x) = 0, and hence to the trivial solution
u ( x , t ) = 0. Non-trivial solutions u ( x , t ) = <$(#) q ( t ) ^ 0 implies that
A / 0, leading to the condition:

3 = 1, 2, . . . (16)

■ Lj j : Angular eigenfrequency of the string. I —> | =>- cjj —> (i.e. the
frequency is increased one octa, when the length of the string
is halved).

13
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The modal coordinate differential equations of a MDOF system are given

as, cf. Lecture 5, Eq. (70):

Then, Eq. (11) may be interpreted as the equation for undamped

eigenvibrations of a modal coordinate:

This motivates the following designations.

■ Time function in the separation method : Modal coordinate.

■ Spatial function in the separation method : Eigenmode function.

Infinite many modal coordinates exist for a continuous system.

14
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Superposition principle:

oo oo
u(x,t) = q j ( t ) = ( C j sin^jt) + D j cos sin

3 =1 J=i
(19)

■ C j , D j : Determined from the initial value functions U Q ( X ) , UQ{ X) .

15
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Example 1 : Eigenvibrations of a flexible string

Let the initial conditions be given as:

From Eq. (19):

16
 Structural Dynamics

UN I VERSITET
Lecture 9

The Ist equation in Eq. (21) is multiplied with sin (fc7Tj), followed by an
integration over the interval [0, /]:
r l 00 p i

J ILQ( X) sin (k7r — ^ J d x = D j J sin sin — d x =

17
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Above, the following identities have been used:

(23)

The final solution becomes:

OO -j
J7T T
U OM) = 16t/o ^2 J-T 3 0 - (-!)J) sin sin (i^ry) , UJj —
l V /X
3= 1
(24)

18
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Torsional Vibration of Rods

dx
Figure 4: Torsional vibration of a cylindrical rod.

M(x, Torsional moment, [Nm].

t) Torsional moment load per unit length, [Nm/m].
m(x, Rotational angle in the x -direction of a cross-section, [rad].

3 = t\iK
) Mass moment of inertia per unit length, [kgm2/m].
li6 ( x , t ) Mass density, [kg/m3].
Jl_ 4
D
K: 32 Torsional constant of a circular cylindrical bar, [m4].
G Shear modulus, [N/m2].

19
 Structural Dynamics

UN I VERSITET
Lecture 9

D’Alembert’s principle:

— M + M + d M + i^m — j O ^ j 0 =>
d M ..
— --h m - j O = 0
ox (25)

Constitutive relation for St. Venant torsion:

(26)

(27)

(28)

(27) is a wave equation with the phase velocity c = J

20
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Example 2 : Torsional undamped eigenvibrations of a fixed-free circular

cylindrical bar

21
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Determine the undamped eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes of the

clamped bar with the length l sketched on Fig. 5 are determined.

Boundary conditions:

0(0, t) = $(0)q(t) = 0 => 3>(0) = 0

M ( l , t ) = G K d 0 ^ ’ t ' > = G K ^ > ' ( l ) q ( t ) = 0 = > $'(7) = 0
dx

The eigenvalue problem for the spatial function becomes, cf. Eq. (10):

22
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Insertion of <I>(J)(0) = 0 into the solution given by Eq. (12) implies that
B = 0 . Hence:

= O.Then, undamped angular

eigenfrequencies are given as:

23
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Bernoulli-Euler Beams

24
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

u(x, t) : Dynamic displacement in the y -direction.

p(x,t) : Dynamic load per unit length in the y -

direction. No
N(x) dynamic load
: Mass per unitinlength.
the x -direction.

Q(x,t) : Static axial force.

M(x, t) : Shear force from dynamic loads.
EI(x) : Bending moment from dynamic loads.
l : Bending stiffness around the 2 -axis.
: Length of beam element.

Static equilibrium state:

Static loads in the x - and ^/-directions produce a static equilibrium

configuration of the beam (drawn with a dashed signature in Fig. 6). Only
the axial force N ( x ) is shown. Since there are no dynamic loads in the re¬
direction, N ( x ) is unchanged during dynamic vibrations.

25
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9

Dynamically deformed state:

Force equilibrium in the y-direction:

Moment equilibrium in the z-direction around the bending centre at the

right-end section:

From Eqs. (33) and (34):

 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Constitutive equation:

D’Alembert’s principle:

■ P d ( x , t ) : External dynamic load per unit length.

■ c { x ) : Linear viscous damping coefficient per unit length.

From Eqs. (35), (36), (37):

27
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

(38) must be solved with proper initial values at 0 for all particles in
the interval ]0, l [, and with boundary conditions at 0 and x = l for all
times t > 0.

28
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

For the beam in Fig. 7 the following quantities at the end-section are
introduced:

m0, mi : Point masses.

co, ci : Damper constant of linear viscous dampers.

ko, : Stiffness of linear elastic springs.

Jo, Ji : Mass moment of inertia of distributed masses, [kgm2 ].
do, d\ : Damper constants of linear viscous rotational dampers, [Nms ].
r 0, r i : Stiffness of linear elastic rotational springs, [Nm/rad].

For each differential mass particle / i ( x ) d x identified by the abscissa x , an

initial displacement u ( x , 0) = U Q { X ) and an initial velocity ) = uo(x)
must be formulated as a straightforward generalization of the discrete case.

29
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The boundary conditions are classified as either geometric or mechanical

boundary conditions. At each end-section exactly 2 boundary conditions
(geometric or mechanical) are specified.

Geometric boundary conditions are specified, whenever the end-section

displacement or end-sections rotations are prescribed. In what follows
only homogeneous geometric boundary conditions are considered.

The following boundary and initial value problem may be stated for the
beam shown in Fig. 7:

30
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9

Differential equation:
d2 / d fdu\
--iV— + c(x)--V uK (Jx )—— =
El {pc) ’'
oi
dx2 dx\ dx dtmJ dt2 FdK
dx2

Initial values: 9
u(:c, 0) = U Q ( X ) , —u { x , 0 ) — u o { x )
dt

Geometric boundary conditions:

/ \ d u ( 0 , vt )y
u(0,t) =0 ,
= 0
dx

u(l, t) =0 du(l, £) (39)

= 0
dx
Mechanical boundary conditions:
c^TYn^2^0^) du(0, t ) du{Q,t)
— hi ( 0 ) — — = —ro— --d o — --J o
dx2 dx dx dx
_ E H l ) d2u(l,{) = -r, d u ( l , t ) du{l,t) dii(l,t)
dx2 dx — d\- — Ji-
dx dx
d / d 2u ( 0 , t ) \ d u ( 0 , t ) .
— ( £7/(0)——-— ) + N —-- = k 0 u ( 0 , t ) + c o u ( 0 , t ) + m 0 u { 0 , t )
dx \ dxA J dx
d f r n T / l X d 2 u ( l , t ) \ d u ( l , t ) ... .
— ( E I ( l ) ——-— + N —-- - - h \ u { l , t ) - c i u ( l , t ) - r r i \ u { l , t )
dx \ dxA dx

31
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Derivation of mechanical boundary conditions due to concentrated

masses, dampers and springs:

32
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Mechanical boundary conditions specify that the bending moments

M(0+, t ) t ) and the shear forces Q(0+,£), Q ( l ~ , t ) immediately
to the right and the left of the end-sections must balance the inertial
forces and the d’Alembert moments from the distributed masses, and the
forces and moments in the concentrated dampers and springs, resulting in
the following equations of equilibrium, see Fig. 8.
d d(d d2 ( d
M ( 0 +, t ) = -ro—u(0,t) - do — u(0,t) ) - Jo u { 0, t )
ox \ o x dt2 \ dx

d d ( d d2 ( d
M(l ,t) = n — u ( l , t + di — u(l,t) ) + Ji u{l, t)
ox ot \ ox dt2 V dx (40)

Q(0+, t ) = k o u ( 0 , t ) + cow(0, t ) + mow(0, t )

Q{1~ ,t) = —kiu(l,t) — ciu(l,t) — m\u(l,t)

The mechanical boundary conditions in (39) are obtained by insertion of

(34) and (36) in (40).

33
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9

□ Example 3: Boundary conditions for beam elements with constant cross

section
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9

Special case P d ( x , t ) = 0, N = 0 t E l and constant:

Harmonic wave propagating in the positive ^-direction:

u(x, t) = UQ cos (cut — kx) = U Q COS ( k ( c — x)) (42)

■ UQ : Amplitude, [TO].
■ u : Angular frequency, [ s-1 ].

■ k ( c j ) : Wave number, [m-1].

c= C{OJ) = -y— : Phase velocity, [ m / s ] . (43)

k{(jj)

35
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Insertion of (42) into Eq. (41):

(. E l k 4 — /XCJ2) WQ cos(c —kz) =0

(44)

(45)

Bending waves are dispersive. High-frequency components are moving

faster than low-frequency components. This means that a displacement
disturbancy is distorted during propagation in an infinite long Bernoulli-
Euler beam.

36
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Undamped Eigenvibrations

Undamped vibrations:
co = ci = do = d i = 0 , c(x) — 0 (46)

Eigenvibrations:
p d( x , t ) = 0 (47)

Then, (39) attains the form:

37
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9
UN I VERSITET

Differential equation:
d2 / d 2u \ d(
d x 2 \ EI^ d x ^ ) ~ d x \ d x ) + =

Geometric boundary conditions:

d_

w(0, t) 0 dx
w(0, t ) = 0
d_

w(Z, t ) = 0 dx
w(Z, t) = 0 (48)
Mechanical boundary conditions:
_ £7(0) dM0’*) = ru 9 U { Q , t ) _ ^ d u ( 0, t )
dx2 dx dx
_ run 92u(1’^ =r
du(1^) , J 9u(l,t)
V/r \ Q -L * J- t ~ \

ox z ox ox
d f 1^ T / ^ d 2u ( 0 , t ) \ du(0,t) .
- tf/ 0 —^— + N —-- = 0, t ) + m0w(0, t )
ox \ ox z J ox
d f _ lT/1. d 2u ( l , t ) \ d u ( l , t )
- E I ( l ) - -— + N - = - m i u ( l , t )
ox \ oxz J ox

38
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Guided by the experience with MDOF systems it can be anticipated that

all mass particles f i ( x ) d x are performing harmonic motions in phase
during undamped eigenvibrations. Consequently, the solution of (48) is
searched on the form, cf. Lecture 4, Eq. (41):

u ( x , t ) = <E>(x) cos(u;t — 4/) (49)

& ( x ) is the real amplitude of the mass particle , identified by the

abscissa x in the statical equilibrium state, and UJ is the angular
eigenfrequency. The phase 4/ can be selected arbitrarily. <D(x) and UJ are
solutions to the following linear eigenvalue problem, obtained by insertion
of (49) into (48):

39
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Differential equation:
d2 ( 7~i T / d /

uj 2 =0
l x 2 \ E I ^ d l 2 j " 11 \ N H

Geometric boundary conditions:

d
$(o) = o *(0) = 0
dx
d
*(0 = o , —*(0 = 0
dx (50)

Mechanical boundary conditions:

EI( 0 ) - ^ < P ( 0 ) = ( r 0 - u 2 J o ) £*(0)

d
d2 - ( n - u j 2 J i) — *(/)
dx2 dx
d ) — N — & ( 0 ) = — ( k o — ( j j 2m o )
Em^m <£(0)
dx \ dxz J dx
d E I ( l ) E$ ( l ) ) - = ( k l U - w2mi) $(0
dx dxz Jdx

40
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Homogeneous cross-section:

Solutions are determined to (50) for the special case of homogeneous

cross-sections (constant value of E l , N and n ). The differential
equation reduces to:

d4$ N d2<S> U L c2
-T----n ~ ~ -^ = ° (51)
dx4 El dx2El

The complete solution of (51) can be written as:

<E>(:r) = A sin ^Ay ^ + B cos ^Ay ^ + C sinh ) + cosh y)

x e [0,
l]
(52)

41
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9
UN I VERSITET

A, B , C , D are integration constants, and A2 and v 2 are the positive

roots of the quadratic equations:

Especially, if AT = 0, (52) and (53) reduces to:

42
 Structural Dynamics

UN I VERSITET
Lecture 9

(52) or (54) are inserted into the 4 relevant boundary conditions in (50).
Then, 4 homogeneous linear equations are obtained for the determination
of the coefficients A , B , C , D , which can be formulated in the
following way:
'A" "0"
B 0
K{ \v)
C
(56)
4x4
0
D 0

A = A(CJ)and v = i y ( c j ) are functions of the angular frequency UJ . Then,

KT(A(LJ), U ( L u ) ) = K ( U J ) is a known function of u . (56) always has the
solution [ A , B , (7, D ] = [0,0,0,0], which implies the trivial solution
<E>(x) = 0 . The necessary condition for non-trivial solutions is:
det ( K ( w ) ) = 0 (57)

43
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Solutions UJJ to (57) determines non-trivial solutions [ A j , B j , C j , D j \ to

(56), and hence non-trivial solution to the amplitude function <$(•?’) (#) as
given by (52) or (54).

Ljj : Undamped angular eigenfrequency.

: Eigenmode function.

44
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9

□ Example 4: Boundary conditions of the eigenmode function for beam

elements with constant cross-section

u ( x , t ) = $ ( x ) q ( t ) is inserted into the boundary conditions for see

Fig. 10.
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Example 5 : Eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes of simply supported beam

with a compressive axial force

$( 2 ) ( x\

V/S/SSs

Figure 12: Eigenmodes of simply supported beam with a compressive axial force

46
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

(52) is inserted into the boundary conditions shown on Fig. 11a:

'0 1 0 1" ' A " '0"

A2 ^2 B
0 *2 0 J2 0
sin A cos A sinh cosh C 0
A2 A2 2 2 _ D
— sin A — cos A sinh cosh V _ _0_
v*
K(X,u)
(58)

47
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

(58) has the non-trivial solution:

A/0A B = C = D = 0A sin A = 0 (59)

(60)
sin An = 0 => An = 717T , 1,2,...

From (52), (53)

(61)
<E>(n)(:c) = A sin ^
(62)

(63)

(64)

48
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

In (62) the compressive axial force P = — N has been introduced. o

given by (63) signifies the angular eigenfrequency for = 0 . PE is the
classical Euler buckling load.

For n = l (62) provides:

(65)

(65) provides a method for estimation PE by so-called non-destructive

testing. Values of are measured for known values of P (marked by a
” x ” on Fig. 13. The least-square fit determines PE as the intersection
with the abscissa axis.

49
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Example 6 : Eigenfrequencies and eigenmode functions of a cantilever beam

The special case with no axial force, 0, is considered.

50
 Structural Dynamics

UN I VERSITET
Lecture 9

(54) is inserted into the boundary conditions at 0 as shown on Fig.

I lb:

$(0) = 0 B + D = 0
<l>'(0) = 0 =s> ^(A + C) = 0

(54) may then be reduced to:

(67) is inserted into the mechanical boundary conditions at x = l :

A2 A2
--— (sin A + sinh A ) A — (cos A + cosh A) =0
$"(/) = 0 L L
A3 ^3

= 0 --— (cos A + cosh A) A--— (— sin A + sinh A) 0

L L

51
 Structural Dynamics

UN I VERSITET
Lecture 9

det ( K (A)) = 0 =s>

cos A cosh A + 1 = 0

1.8751 , n = 1
4.6941 , n = 2 (69)
7.8548 , n = 3

From (55):

52
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

From the first equation of (68):

53
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Example 7 : Eigenfrequencies and eigenmode functions of a free-free

beam

Figure 15: Rigid body and elastic eigenmode functions of a free-free beam.

54
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The special case with no axial force, 0, is considered. The eigenvalue

problem follows from (51), (54), (55) and Fig. 11c:

(72) is fulfilled for the rigid body modes = A and <l>(2)(:c) = A j

for X n — 0 =>• U1 = CJ2 = 0 .

Elastic modes are given by Eq. (54) with X n > 0. Insertion of (54) in
<£"(0) = ^"'(O) = 0 provides:
C = A ,D = B (73)

which reduces (54) to:

55
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Insertion of (74) into the boundary conditions <E>"(Z) = <$'"(/) = 0

provides:

det ( K ( A ) ) = 0 A A > 0 provides

cos A cosh A — 1 = 0 =>*

[ 4.7301 , n = 3
An = < 7.8532 , n = 4 (76)
{ 10.9956 , n = 5

Next, u j n follows from Eq. (55). The eigenmode functions become:

56
 Structural Dynamics
Lecture 9

□ Orthogonal Property of Eigenmodes

EI(x), )
Jo Ji

m0 u x *) * x mi

Figure 16: Parameters in undamped eigenvalue problem.

57
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Theorem:
The eigenmode functions and to the eigenvalue problem
(50) belonging to different circular eigenfrequencies UJI and ujj fulfill the
orthogonality conditions:

58
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

where m* is the modal mass in the th eigenvibration defined by:

(78) and (79) are proved in much the same way as for a discrete MDOF
system, cf. Lecture 5, Eqs. (55-58). The eigenvalue problem (50) is
formulated for <$W(;c) and . The differential equations for 3>W(;c)
and (a;) are multiplied by and $>(•?) (#), respectively, followed
by integrations over the interval [0, l]. Next, integration by parts is
performed on the stiffness term to obtain integrals symmetric in < £ > W ( x )
and <E>(J)(:r), and the mechanical boundary conditions in (50) are applied in
the boundary terms. The orthogonally conditions then follows upon
withdrawing of the equations.

59
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Forced Vibrations of a Bernoulli-Euler Beam Element

Guided by the superposition of separated solutions (19) the solution of

the boundary and initial value problem (39) is searched on the form:

As precious the coefficients q j ( t ) , 1,2,... are referred to as the

undamped modal coordinates. These are obtained as solutions to the
following uncoupled ordinary differential equations:

where:

( x)pd(x, t )d x
fj 0) = (83)

60
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

f j ( t ) : jth modal load.

C j: jth modal damping ratio.

(82) is proved by insertion of (81) into the partial differential equation of

(39). Next, the equation is multiplied by followed by an
integration over the interval [ 0 , 1 ] , and integration by part is performed on
the stiffness terms. Use of the orthogonality properties as given by (78)
and (79) then provides the result, assuming that similar orthogonality
properties apply to the damping terms (modal decoupling).

61
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The modal equations (82) have exactly the same form as the modal
equations of motion for a discrete MDOF system, cf. Lecture 5, Eq. (70).
The only difference is that (82) refers to a continuous system, and
consequently contains infinite many modal coordinates.

Although derived for a beam element, modal equations of exactly the

same form can be derived for any continuous system of one, two or three
dimension. One may say that the modal coordinate differential equations
are structure independent. The specific dynamic system is only displayed
indirectly via the modal parameters m*, 0 , and /*(£).

62
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

□ Example 7: Simply supported homogeneous beam with a moving load

63
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The bending stiffness E l , the mass per unit length ^ and the distributed
damping constant c are constant along the beam.

At the time t = 0 a vehicle with the constant velocity v and the weight
P is entering the bridge which is assumed to be at rest. The inertial force
from the vertical motion of the vehicle is ignored, so P is equal to the
constant reaction from the vehicle on the bridge.

The eigenmode function and the undamped angular eigenfrequencies are

given as, cf. (61), (62):

64
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The modal masses become, cf. (80):

The modal damping ratios become, cf. (84):

The dynamic load can formally be written as:

65
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Upon insertion of (89) into (83) provides the following result for the
modal loads:

Because the bridge starts at rest the initial values related to (82) becomes:
q n ( 0 ) = q n( 0 ) = 0 (91)

Then, the solution of (82) reads, cf. Lecture 3, Eq. (13):

66
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

The integral in (92) can be evaluated analytically.

At least 40 terms need to be retained in the series solutions (81) to give a

sufficiently accurate solution for the displacement mode. Even more
modes need to be included, if the bending moment or the shear
force Q ( x , t ) is to be calculated.

67
 Structural Dynamics

UNIVERSITET
Lecture 9

Summary of Lecture 9
□ Continuous System.
This involves a continuous mass distribution. Elastic parameters are also
continuously distributed.
■ Vibrating string. Separation method. Non-dispersive wave propagation.
■ Torsional vibration of rods. Same wave equation as for a vibrating string.
■ Bernoulli-Euler beams. Non-dispersive wave propagation:
CM = \J pported beams, cantilever
beams and free-free beams.

68