UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND CONSTRUCTION

ENGINEERING

COURSE TITLE: FCE 401

F16/137600/2019

IMANI HUSSEIN TAHERALI

THEORY OF MACHINES EXPERIMENT

LAB REPORT
 FREE VIBRATION OF A SINGLE DEGREE OF FREEDOM SYSTEM
OBJECTIVE:
To determine:
a) Damped natural frequency of vibration
b) Damping ratio of a system subjected to free vibration
c) Compare experimental values of undamped natural frequency with calculated estimates for
different masses of the system.
INTRODUCTION
Free vibrations are those, which occur after an elastic system in equilibrium is displaced from the
position of equilibrium and let free. The system then oscillates about the equilibrium position with
the amplitude of vibration reducing gradually from a maximum value to zero.
The suppression of vibration called damping is brought about by air resistance, frictional forces and
hysteresis losses resulting from the internal friction of the strained elements such as the spring.
This experiment illustrates a method of determining parameters used in finding how much a system
is damped during its vibration and how this is related to the frequency of vibration.
PROCEDURE
1. Determine the spring stiffness by hanging weights and reading the displacement on the
spring.
2. Weigh and measure the bar.
3. Vibrate the system without any additional mass and record the oscillation on teledeltos
paper for each person in the group.
4. Repeat (3) with masses of 400g, 800g up to 2kg taking traces of each.
Apparatus
1. Spring
2. Paper
3. Tracing stylus
4. Masses
5. Bar connected to the pivot
6. Rotating drum

a= distance to centre of the spring.

b=distance to the centre of the load.
L=distance to the centre of the pen.

The bar of length L is pin jointed at the pivot P. A spring of stiffness K is attached to the bar at a
distance ‘a’ from the pivot and anchored to the frame of the rig. An additional masss M can be
located at a distance ‘b’ from the pivot. When the bar is displaced and let go, it vibrates and the
electric stylus mounted at the end of the bar moves up and down the teledeltos paper, which winds
on a rotating drum. The stylus is heated electrically and burns a trace of the oscillation on the
teledeltos papers. The trace produced is used to determine the dynamic parameters required.
Theory
This dynamic system with angular oscillations has inertia torques which in this case are the
products of the moment of inertia of the assembly about the pivot P and the angular acceleration
about the pivot i.e Inertia torque of system= Ip Ӫ ………...(1)
The inertia torque is assumed positive in the direction of positive. The damping torques are
proportional to the angular velocity of the system.
The velocity is: Ө or dӨ/dt
Hence, damping torques = Const. x dӨ/dt
= Cc. dӨ/dt …………… (2)
C = the coefficient of viscosity
This torque is opposite to the inertia torque, which is why it decelerates the system. Another torque
of this system is the spring torque at displacement from the equilibrium position. spring torque =
akaθ = ka2θ ………………………(3) (Distance from pivot X perpendicular force) The spring
torque also opposes the inertia torque. All external torques = all internal torques
Therefore, -C*dӨ/dt – ka2* Ө* Ip* Ӫ ………..(4)
Negative signs are used because the torques opposes internal torques. The equation of gravity is
already counter balanced at equation. So it does not appear in equation (4).
Then I pӪ+ c
I p θ °+. ka2 θ = 0 ……………(5)
This is a linear second order differential equation solved by employing the mathematics of
differential equations as follows.
If λ2 is greater than β2, it has been established that the impulse given to start vibration diminishes
in one oscillation, thus the system is too stiff to vibrate. It is said to be over damped.
If λ2 is equal to β2 it is at the limiting condition where oscillation starts taking place. This is the
critically damped condition.
And the critical damping co–efficient
Cc = √(4ka2 / Ip ) ………………………. (10)
In this case, if λ2 is less than β2, damping is small and the system makes several oscillations after a
disturbance before it stops vibrating. This case is what is encountered mostly in practice and
is the one analyzed for this experiment. The roots of equation (9) are complex numbers.
Hence,
θ = e-λt(Aeiαt + Be−iαt)
θ = e−λt{A(cos αt + i sin αt) + B(cos αt – i sin αt)}
θ= e−λt{(A + B)cosαt + (A − B)sinαt} θ
θ= e−λt{C cos αt + D Sin αt} …(11)
C and D are arbitrary constants.
If we define ϕ such that:
Sin ϕ = C/ √(C2 + D2)
And
Cos ϕ= D/ √(C2 + D2)
then the equation (12) cam be expressed as
θ =√(C2 + D2)e−λt{ cos αt sin ∅ + Sin αt cos ∅ }
θ = E e−λt Sin (αt+ ∅ ) …………12
where E is an arbitrary constant.
Equation 12 represents a vibration amplitude, the decay being governed by:- The e-(C.Ip/2)t curve
is as shown below.
Results and analysis
The following results were obtained from the experiment.
length a= 0.55m
length b =0.65m
length L = 0.75m
mass of bar = 2090g
Speed of rotation of the drum = 3 revolutions/minute
Obtaining K for spring
Datum reading = 0.231m
The K for the spring is determined graphically by plotting the stretching force in Newtons against
the extension caused by that force in m.
LOAD ( N ) DISPLACEMENT ( m ) EXTENSION (m) = Reading-
0.231
0.000 0.231 0.000
3.924 0.2425 0.0115
7.848 0.250 0.019
11.772 0.263 0.032
15.696 0.281 0.050
19.620 0.286 0.055

LOAD VS EXTENSION GRAPH

25

20
y = 334.57x + 0.4699
load ( N )

15

10

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06
extension ( m )

From the above graph, the value of the spring constant K is obtained from the slope. By inspection
of the graph equation, the slope of the graph is 334.57, which is therefore the spring constant.
K = 334.57 N/m
Estimating the undamped natural frequency using equations of motion (theoretical)
m = 2.09kg + K* = Ks.a2 / L M* = m.L / 3 𝜔 = √𝐾/𝑀 f = 𝜔/2𝜋
added mass
2.09 134.9 0.5225 16.068 2.557
2.49 134.9 0.6225 14.721 2.343
2.89 134.9 0.7225 13.664 2.175
3.29 134.9 0.8225 12.807 2.038
3.69 134.9 0.9225 12.093 1.925
4.09 134.9 1.0225 11.486 1.828
Damped natural frequency using data from the traces and rotating drum
Wavelength= velocity / frequency
The velocity of the drum is constant, 3 revolutions per minute.
In this case, the velocity = 3/60 revolutions per second = 0.05 rps
The wavelength of each case can be obtained from the traces and tabulated in the table shown
below and the frequency calculated by (velocity/wavelength).
From analysis of the traces, we can obtain the respective period distances and periods of
oscillations for the respective added masses.
Mass g wavelength Damped natural frequency
(velocity / wavelength )
0 0.0045 11.11
100 0.0049 10.20
200 0.0050 10.00
300 0.0051 9.80
400 0.0055 9.09
500 0.0059 8.47
600 0.0060 8.33
700 0.0061 8.20
800 0.0062 8.06
900 0.0065 7.69
1000 0.0066 7.58

Calculate damped natural frequency from the equation provided

ωd= ωn√1−ζ 2 .
this equation can be written as:

2
𝛿2
𝜁 =
4 𝜋² + 𝛿²
𝛿2
𝜁= √
4 𝜋² + 𝛿²
𝑈𝑡
δ = 𝑙𝑛 𝑈(𝑡+𝑡𝑑)
𝑥
δ= ln 𝑥0
1

Mass g X0 X1 δ 𝜁 ωn ωd = ωn√1−ζ 2 f = ωd/ 2 𝜋

= 𝛿 /2𝜋
0 1.4 1 0.33647 0.05355 16.06804 16.04498 2.553714
100 1.3 1 0.26236 0.04176 15.69833 15.68464 2.496361
200 1.8 1.7 0.05716 0.0091 15.35035 15.34971 2.443055
300 0.4 0.3 0.28768 0.04579 15.02578 15.01002 2.38899
400 1.8 1.1 0.49248 0.07838 14.72097 14.67568 2.335776
500 2 1.7 0.16252 0.02587 14.43398 14.42915 2.296538
600 1.5 1.4 0.06899 0.01098 14.16315 14.1623 2.254066
700 1.1 0.8 0.31845 0.05068 13.90701 13.88914 2.21059
800 1.3 0.9 0.36772 0.05853 13.66429 13.64087 2.171075
900 1.6 1.4 0.13353 0.02125 13.43385 13.43082 2.137644
1000 2 1.5 0.28768 0.04579 13.21468 13.20082 2.101038
Discussion
The objective of the experiment was achieved. The damped natural frequency, damping ratio and
undamped natural frequency from both the experimental values and estimated values were
determined from the data obtained from the experiment.
The system was found to be underdamped since the damping ratio ζ, was less than 1.
From the above results, it is clear to see that there is a relationship between the experimental and
theoretical values obtained.
This experiment is therefore necessary as it confirms that the theoretical equations of motion give
indicative values of the real situation of a single degree of freedom body subjected to free
vibrations.
Despite the existence of this relationship, there is a slight difference in the theoretical and
experimental values. This difference is brought about by the various causes e.g. internal friction
within the system elements, air resistance as the system components move through air.
Conclusion
In summary, the equations of motion developed to model the true situation of a single degree
of freedom body subjected to free vibrations holds true. The above experiment was therefore
successful as it showed that equations of motion may be sufficient in determining the vibratory
response. These equations can be used in determining vibrations in buildings and structures
subjected to various loadings which can be designed for in the serviceability limit state,
provided they are not excessive.
References
University of Nairobi, Department of mechanical and manufacturing engineering, lab manual. Free
vibration of a ‘single degree of freedom’system.
www.sciencedirect.com
www.courses.lumenlearning.com