ME354A: Vibration and Control

Saturday 21st January, 2023

Assignment 1 Solutions
Problem 1. For the following systems (see Fig. 1-5), identify the degrees of freedom (DOF)
required to model the system and also draw their free body diagrams (FBD).
Solution.

Figure 1: Spring-pulley-mass system

Figure 2: Spring connected simple pendulum

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Figure 3: Spring-mass system

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Figure 4: Spring-pulley-mass system

Figure 5: Crank-spring-mass system

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Problem 2. Determine the velocity of the block (see Fig. 6) as a function of the distance
traveled in the direction shown by the arrow. Assume no slipping at all points of contact.
Solution 2.Initially the system is at equilibrium, so the potential and kinetic energy are
zero
Vo = 0, To = 0.
using the kinematic relations

xc = rθ, x1 = 2xc → x˙c = rθ̇, x˙1 = 2x˙c

energies in the displaced position:

k k
V = −m1 gx1 + x2c = −m1 gx1 + x21
2 8
 
1 2 1 2 1 2
T = m1 x˙1 + m2 x˙c + IP θ̇
2 2 2
 
1 2 m2 IP
= x˙1 m1 + + 2
2 4 4r
applying conservation of energy T +V = To +Vo we get,
s
2m1 gx1 − k4 x21
x˙1 = ± IP
m1 + m42 + 4r 2

Figure 6

Problem 3. The schematic diagram of a centrifugal governor is shown below. The length
of each rod is l, the mass of each ball is m, and the free length of the spring is h. How many
degrees of freedom system is this? If the shaft’s angular speed is ω, determine the natural
frequency of the system for small oscillations.

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 Figure 7: Centrifugal governor

Solution 3. It is a single-degree-of-freedom system.

We will assume that the governor attends its equilibrium when the spring force is zero (i.e.,
the length of the spring is equal to its free length at equilibrium)

Figure 8: FBD

hence,
2T2 cos θ = spring f orce = 0

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or
T2 = 0
Now from linear momentum balance, we can write
T1 cos θÊ2 − T1 sin θÊ1 − mg Ê2 = −mω 2 l sin θÊ1
or,
g
T1 = mω 2 l cos θ =
ω2l
Now, we will find the oscillating response about this equilibrium configuration. We will
displace the masses by a small angle α as shown, noting that θ is constant and α is a
function of time for oscillation of the masses.

Figure 9

Deformation in the spring due to alpha is

∆y = 2l cos(θ + α) − 2l cos θ = 2l sin θα
hence the ∆T2 is
2∆T2 cos θ = 2kl sin θα
or,
∆T2 = kl tan θ α
Now, let the center of the mass shown above be (x, y), and we can write
x = l sin(θ + α)
= l(sin θ + α cos θ)
(1)
ẋ = l cos θα̇
ẍ = l cos θα̈
similarly,
y = −l cos(θ + α)
= −l(cos θ − α sin θ)
(2)
ẋ = l sin θα̇
ẍ = l sin θα̈

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Now from linear momentum balance along x− and y−axis, we can write

(−∆T1 − ∆T2 ) sin θ = ml cos θα̈

(∆T1 − ∆T2 ) cos θ = ml sin θα̈

Adding the above 2 equations and substituting the value of ∆T2 , we get

ml(1 + cot2 θ)α̈ + 2klα = 0

Problem 4. A small mass m is restrained to moving along x−axis by four linearly elastic
springs, each of which has an unstretched length l, as shown below. Each spring is oriented
at an angle of 45o with respect to the x-axis. Determine the equation of motion for small
displacements of the mass in the x−direction.

Figure 10

Solution 4. When the mass moves towards +x−axis as shown below, the compression in
springs OC and OB and the extension in the springs OA and OD are:

Figure 11: Electric motor

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 For compression
q √
l1 = (l2 + x2 − 2xl)
q √
= (l2 − 2xl) (x is small) (3)
x
≈l− √
2
and
x
∆l = √
2
similarly for compression:
q √
l2 = (l2 + x2 + 2xl)
q √
= (l2 + 2xl) (x is small) (4)
x
≈l+ √
2
and
x
∆l = √
2
From Linear Momentum Balance X
F = ma
Hence,  
x o x o
− 2k1 √ cos(45 ) + 2k2 √ cos(45 ) = mẍ
2 2
or,
mẍ + (k1 + k2 )x = 0

Problem 5. Find the equation of motion and the natural frequency for small angular os-
cillations of an electric motor supported by four springs (see Fig. 9), each having spring
constant k. The moment of inertia of the motor about the central axis is J. The other two
springs are exactly behind the ones which are visible. Ignore the vibration in the vertical
direction.

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 Figure 12: Electric motor

Solution 5. The value of forces F1 and F2 in the ground frame due to small rotation as
shown below are given by
F1 = 2kaθÊ2
F2 = −2kaθÊ2

Figure 13

From angular momentum balance about G, we know that

X X
ri/G × Fi + Mi = Icm · α + ω × Icm · ω

hence,

X  *0 :0


−aÊ1 × (−2kaθÊ2 ) + aÊ1 × (2kaθÊ2 ) + 
Mi = −J θ̈Ê3 + 
ω×
Icm
 ·ω


or,
J θ̈ + 4ka2 θ = 0

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is the equation of motion and the natural frequency is
r
k
ω = 2a
J

Problem 6. A thin semicircular cylindrical shell of radius R shown in Fig. 10 is allowed

to rock on a rough horizontal surface. Derive the equation of motion for the case of no-slip.
Show that for small motion the shell behaves like a harmonic oscillator, and calculate the
natural frequency of the oscillator. The distance between the center of curvature of the shell
and the mass center C is denoted by r, where r = 2R π
.

Figure 14: Semicircular cylindrical shell

Solution 6. Below figure shows the FBD of the shell, in triangle OBC, OC = r, OB =
r sin θ and BC = r cos θ. Applying angular momentum balance about point P

Figure 15

X X
ri/P × Fi + Mi = IP · α + rC/P × maP + ω × IP · ω

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 X  *0 0 :0
−mgr sin θ + Mi = IP · θ̈ + rC/P × m
 aP
*+ ω
 ×
IP· ω

or
Ip θ̈ + mgrθ = 0 (For small oscillations)
Now, from the parallel axis theorem

mR2 = Ic + mr2

or
Ic = mR2 − mr2
Ip = Ic + m(r sin θ)2 + m(R − r cos θ)2 = 2mR2 − 2mRr cos θ
Hence from the equation of the motion, we get
2R 2R
2mR(R − )θ̈ + mg θ = 0
π π

(π − 2)Rθ̈ + gθ = 0
and the natural frequency is r
g
ω=
(π − 2)R

Problem 7. A bead of mass m is suspended on a massless string, as shown below. Assume

that the string is subjected to the tension T and that this tension does not change throughout
the motion. Young’s modulus of the string is E. Derive the equation of the motion of the
mass m. Also, determine the frequency of small oscillations.

Figure 16

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Solution 7. In this problem the tension is not changing with deformations, we will assume
the tension to be high and the equilibrium position of the system when the strings are in a
horizontal position without any slack. Hence for small deformation of the mass

Figure 17

−2T sin θ = mÿ

or,
2T
mÿ + y=0
L
and the natural frequency is r
2T
ω=
mL
Problem 8. A manometer, shown in Fig.16, is used to measure pressure. If the total length
of mercury in the tube is L, find an expression for the natural frequency of oscillation of the
mercury. Consider the density of mercury to be ρ.

Solution 8. Consider the moment when the fluid on the left hand side is depressed by
a height x below the equilibrium position. Then, by conservation of mass, the elevation on
the right-hand side will be x/2 and the velocity and acceleration of the fluid (considered
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positive in the counter-clockwise direction) will be, respectively, dx
dt
and ddt2x on the left and
one half of that on the right.
First, lets find the length of the portion having different kinematic values, using geometry
length portion having area A is
L sin θ
h=
1 + sin θ
and having area 2A is
L
L−h=
1 + sin θ
Then, unbalanced force can be written as, refer Fig. 16
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x (2A)ρg
2

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this force must be balanced by the inertial terms of the two section.
Equation of motion :
ẍ
hẍρA + (L − h) ρ 2A = −3x Aρg
2
simplifying it we get,
L sin θ L
ẍ ρ A + ẍρA + 3xAρg
1 + sin θ 1 + sin θ
3g
ẍ + x = 0
L
r
3g
ωn =
L

Figure 18: Manometer

Problem 9. Find the natural frequency of the system shown below (see Fig. 17). Assume
that links are rigid and massless.
Solution 9. Assuming the deflection to be small, such that the angle between the links
is same upon deformation Consider, the displacement of the mass be 2x and the spring be
compressed by 2y, then referring to Fig. 17 (a) and (b). Using geomerty we can write the
relation between x and y as:
from Fig. 17 (b), p
l sin θ − y = l2 − (l cos θ + x)2
  x 2 2x cos θ  12
y = l sin θ − l sin θ 1 − −
l sin θ l sin2 θ
writing bionomial expansion and ignoring the higher term i.e., x2 , x3 etc. we get,
x cos θ
y = l sin θ − l sin θ + + O2
sin θ
y ≈ x cot θ

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From the free body diagrams Fig. 17 (c), we can write
2ky
2T sin θ = 2ky → 2T =
sin θ
equation of motion for block m

m(2ẍ) + 2T cos θ = 0

m(2ẍ) + 2ky cot θ = 0

substituting the value of y in terms of x

mẍ + kx cot2 θ = 0

or using the equivalent stiffness and mass method we can also write
1 1
keq (2x)2 = k(2y)2
2 2
keq = k cot2 θ
meq ẍ + keq x = 0
where meq is m only. Hence, natural frequency is:
r
k cot2 θ
ωs =
m

Figure 19

Problem 10. Consider a simple pendulum as shown in Fig. 14.

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 (i) Write the equation of motion for this system using the Newton-Euler method.

(ii) Integrate this system using the 4th order Runge-Kutta method for initial condition
θ0 = π6 rad. Simulate the motion of the pendulum for 5 oscillation cycles.

(iii) Plot the deflection angle θ and tension in the string T in the same plot for the numerical
results obtained.

(iv) Estimate the frequency of the resulting oscillations and compare it with the natural
frequency of the linearized system.

Figure 20: Simple pendulum

Solution 10 (i) Applying Momentum balance about point O, we get

−mgl sin θ = ml2 θ̈

or
g
θ̈ + sin θ = 0
l
(ii) All numerical schemes are applicable for first-order ODEs, hence to use RK4, we will
transform the above equation of motion into a system of ODEs, let us assume y represents
the state variables as  
θ
y=
θ̇
hence,    
θ̇ θ̇
ẏ = =
θ̈ − gl sin θ
Now we can apply RK4 in the above equation. See the code attached.
(iii) code. p
(iv) f req = 3.0704 and natural f req = g/l = 3.132.

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