CRANKSHAFT TORSIONAL VIBRATION

Johnston, P. R. and Shusto, L. M. [1], developed a technique to predict the behavior of the
torsional vibrations in internal combustion engines at transient and steady state regime by the
modal superposing method.
The results are compared to the measured ones. Some systems can present excessive
vibrations on specific speeds. Draminsky was one of the first researchers who studied these
phenomena [2]. Hestermann and Stone [3] concluded that these unexpected large angular
displacements in multiples of the engine speed occur due to the variable inertia
characteristics of the crank-mechanism.
In the past, the effects of the internal combustion engines variable inertia were considered to
be negligible and were disregarded from the calculations. Recently, these secondary effects
were verified and checked and they are responsible per many crankshaft structural
failures. Paricha, M. S. [4], included these effects on the previous Draminskys studies and
concluded that, in some cases, the interaction of these secondary forces can be extremely
dangerous for the crankshafts.
Brusa et al. [5] studied the effect of the non-constant moments of inertia on torsional
vibration calculations. The introduction of functions taking into account the variation of the
inertia over the crank throw angular position shall be considered, mainly in cases of large
displacement
engines, where the masses of the piston and connecting rods are significantly large when
compared to the other components of the system. Song et al. [6] analyzed the effect of
torsional and axial
vibration coupling at the crankshafts. Large angular
displacements occur when the axial and torsional natural
frequencies are equal, or, when the first one is two times
greater than the second one. Lacy [7] reported the torsional vibration analysis of four-cylinder
gasoline engine. In his model the journals
are connected to the main bearings taking into account the elastic properties of the oil film.
Boysal and Rahnejat [8] used the same model proposed by Lacy and included the dynamical
rigid body influence of all involved inertias on a multi-body model to analyze the noise
generated by the vibrations.
The torsional damping coefficients of internal combustion engines were initially estimated by
researchers like Den Hartog [9] and Ker Wilson [10]. These parameters were obtained from
empirical
determinations and in most cases, were not accurate, generating great variations at the
dynamic response of the analyzed systems. Theoretical and hybrid models to estimate the
damping coefficients, were proposed by Iwamoto and Wakabayashi [11], which consider
analytical relations between the damping and other measurable parameters of the engines.
Wang and Lim [12] obtained accurate estimation of the absolute damping of a single-cylinder
engine motored by an electric motor. The first two mode shapes of the system were
considered and the damping coefficients were obtained in function of the crank angle.
Y. Honda and T. Saito [13] studied the torsional vibrations at a six-cylinder Diesel engine
with a rubber damper to reduce the vibratory effects. The transition state matrix methodology
was considered and it was observed that the torsional stiffness of the rubber torsional
vibration damper (TVD) is more significant for the system characteristics than the engine
internal damping and even TVD damping. This stiffness is determined mainly by the rubber

geometry and its chemical properties. Maragonis, I.E. [14] realized a research where the
variation of the excitation load through the cylinders, due
to the wear of piston rings and liner was considered.

References
[1] Johnston, P. R. e Shusto, L. M., 1987, Analysis of Diesel
engine crankshaft torsional vibrations. SAE Special
Publications pp. 21-26.
[2] Draminski, P., 1988, Extended treatment of secondary
resonance. Ship Build. Marine Eng. Int. pp. 80-186.
[3] Hestermann, D. C. and Stone, B. J., 1994, Secondary inertia
effects in the torsional vibration of reciprocating engines. Proc.
Inst. Mech. Eng. pp.11-15.
[4] Pasricha, M. S., 2001, Effect of the gas forces on
parametrically excited torsional vibrations of reciprocating
engines. Journal of Ship Research. V.45, Is.4, pp.262-268.
[5] Brusa, E., Delprete, C. and Genta, G., 1997, Torsional
vibration of crankshafts: Effect of non-constant moments of
inertia. Journal of Sound and Vibration. 205(2), pp.135-150.
[6] Song, X. G., Song, T. X., Xue, D. X. And Li, B. Z., 1991,
Progressive torsional-axial continued vibrations in crankshaft
systems: A phenomenon of coupled vibration. Trans. ASME
Rotating Mach. Vehicle Dyn. pp.319-323.
[7] Lacy, D. J., 1987, Computers in analysis techniques for
reciprocating engine design. ImechE International Conference
on Vibration and Rotating Machinery. pp.55-68.
[8] Boysal, A. and Rahnejat, 1997, Torsional vibration analysis
of a multi-body single cylinder internal combustion engine
model. Appl. Math. Modeling. pp.481-493.
[9] Den Hartog, J. P., 1985, Mechanical vibrations. New York:
Dover Publications.
[10] Ker Wilson, W., 1963, Practical solution of torsional
vibration problems. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc. [11]
Iwamoto, S. and Wakabayashi, K., 1985, A study on the
damping characteristics of torsional vibration in Diesel
engines. Journal of the Marine Engineering Society. 20.
[12] Wang, Y. and Lim, T. C., Prediction of torsional damping
coefficients in reciprocating engine. Journal of Sound and
Vibration. 2000, 238(4), p.710-719
[13] Honda, Y., Saito, T., 1987, Dynamic characteristics of
torsional

rubber dampers and their optimum tuning. SAE Technical