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LEBANESE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT

Free and Forced Vibration of a Rigid Beam and

Spring
(Lab #5)

Alexandre Assaad Massaad

ID#: 202205173

Mechanical Vibrations Lab, MEE 443

Instructor: Nicole Jureidini Wehbeh
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Tables..........................................................................................................2
1- Objective.............................................................................................................3
2- Equipment Required...........................................................................................4
3- Procedure............................................................................................................5
4- Results and Conclusions.....................................................................................6

Table of Tables
Table 1: Recorded values..........................................................................................6
Table 2: Given Values...............................................................................................6
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1-Objective
Free vibrations happen in many structures where the structure vibrates at its own
natural frequency. Forced vibrations may occur where an external force causes the
structure to vibrate at any frequency, including the natural frequency of the
structure. When the forced vibration frequency equals the natural frequency, the
structure will resonate at a potentially dangerous amplitude, damaging the system.
The objectives of this experiment are:
- To obtain the natural frequency of the system experimentally under free
vibrations conditions
- To calculate the natural frequency and compare it to the experimental value
- To obtain the frequency of resonance under forced vibrations conditions and
compare this value to the natural frequency
- To study the effect of additional masses on the system
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2-Equipment Required
 Equipment Required
 TM1016 Free and Forced Vibrations
 Rectangular beam
 Helical spring
 Exciter Motor Level
 The experiment window holds a metal beam. A low friction bearing works
as a pivot to hold the left-hand end of the beam. A spring supports the right-
hand end of the rigid beam. It allows the beam to vibrate through a small
angle, at a frequency determined by the spring stiffness and the beam mass.

 A beam stops under the right-hand end of the beam helps to prevent damage.

 An adjuster and locking handle adjust the spring to keep the beam level.

 A motor fixed to the beam has two rotating discs, each with an eccentric
rotating mass.

 This combination forms an exciter, providing the forced vibrations. The

exciter motor has sensors to measure motor speed and beam acceleration. A
non-contacting displacement sensor measures the beam displacement by
detecting the distance from a powerful magnet under the beam.

 A mass holder can be fixed to the exciter motor. A set of five 400 grams
masses can be added to the holder, increasing the mass of the exciter.

 The equipment includes data acquisition hardware (VDAS) allowing the unit
to be directly connected to the computer via a USB cable.

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3-Procedure
1. The experiment should be set up for the rigid beam and spring experiment.
With no additional masses attached on the motor (mass holder detached),
use the level to make sure the beam is straight.

2. Turn on the unit, open the VDAS software.

3. Use the "set zero" controls to set the zero for the acceleration and
displacement sensors. It may also be necessary to make some more small
adjustments to set the trace on the screen to the center of the chart.

4. Set VDAS to Channel 1 Displacement 2mm and Time base 100 m. Start
VDAS and press down the beam a few millimeters then release. Oscillations
will be seen on the computer screen.

5. Stop VDAS to freeze the oscillations, then use the cursor tools to measure
the distance between oscillations. This value is the natural frequency of the
rigid beam with spring.

6. Press the exciter motor start button. Increase the speed gradually; at each
adjustment, wait for several seconds for the oscillations to stabilize. Record
the frequency at which the amplitude is maximized. This value is the
resonance frequency.

7. Add the mass holder with no masses. If necessary, readjust the spring to
bring the beam back to a level position and readjust the zero control.

8. Again, find the natural frequency and the resonance frequency.

9. Add the five 400 g masses in steps.

10.At each step, readjust the level of the beam and find the natural and
resonance frequencies.

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4-Results and Conclusions

Table 1: Recorded values

m_exciter (kg) fn_natural f_resonance fn_calculated I_exciter I_a (kgm^2)

1 4.2 6.76 6.70 6.8299 0.672 1.160699
2 4.4 6.61 6.63 6.7376 0.704 1.192699
3 4.8 6.41 6.42 6.5638 0.768 1.256699
4 5.2 6.22 6.24 6.4028 0.832 1.320699
5 5.6 6.04 6.09 6.2531 0.896 1.384699
6 6.0 5.92 5.92 6.1134 0.96 1.448699
7 6.4 5.76 5.76 5.9827 1.024 1.512699

Table 2: Tables showing the given values

m_beam 1.65
m_excite
r 4.2
m_holder 0.2
m_spring 0.388
m_fixing 0.09

L_beam 0.815
L_exciter 0.4
L_spring 0.75
k_spring 3800

I_beam 0.36532375 kgm^2

I_Sprin
g 0.123375 kgm^2

Where frequency calculated:

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Conclusions:
1. Our findings allow us to draw the conclusion that the mass moment of inertia in
our spinning system, or the system's equivalent mass, is inversely proportional
to the system's natural frequency. Which is accurate, since f is inversely
proportional to I A in the equation used previously.

2. Additionally, with a few exceptions caused by potential measurement error, we

see that the calculated natural frequency, measured natural frequency, and
frequency of resonance are almost identical. Given that resonance happens
when our system is excited at the same frequency as its natural frequency, this
is to be expected.