Spring

and Stiffness
Mass or Inertia Elements
Damping

With many figures and models from Mechanical Vibrations, S. S. Rao

Mechanical Vibrations

Lecture 2:

Introduction -1

Spring Elements
Combination of Springs:
1) Springs in parallel if we have n spring
constants k1, k2, , kn in parallel, then the
equivalent spring constant keq is:
keq k1 k2 ... kn

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -2

Spring Elements
Combination of Springs:
2) Springs in series if we have n spring
constants k1, k2, , kn in series, then the
equivalent spring constant keq is:

1
1 1
1
...
keq k1 k2
kn

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -3

Mass or Inertia Elements

Using mathematical model to represent the actual

vibrating system
E.g. In figure below, the mass and damping of the beam can be
disregarded; the system can thus be modeled as a spring-mass
system as shown.
k

x(t)

3EI
l3

Mechanical Vibrations

It is the rigid element of the vibratory system that lose

or gain kinetic energy depending on its velocity

x(t)

Actual system

Single degree of
freedom model

Introduction -4

Mass or Inertia Elements

Combination of Masses
E.g. Assume that the mass
of the frame is negligible
compared to the masses of
the floors. The masses of
various floor levels represent
the mass elements, and the
elasticities of the vertical
members denote the spring
elements.

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -5

Mass or Inertia Elements

Masses Connected by a Rigid Bar

Velocities of masses can be expressed as:

x2

l2
x1
l1

x3

l3
x1
l1

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -6

Mass or Inertia Elements

Masses Connected by a Rigid Bar

xeq x1
By equating the kinetic energy of the system:
1
1
1
1
2
2
2

m1 x1 m2 x2 m3 x3 meq xeq2
2
2
2
2
2

l2
l3
meq m1 m2 m3
l1
l1

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -7

Example P1.53
Find the
equivalent mass
of this system?

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -8

Example P1.53
When mass m is
displaced by x, the
bell crank lever
rotates by the
angle:
x
tan b
l1

x
b
l1

This makes the

center of the
sphere displace by
(xs):
xs b l 2

xs

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -9

Example P1.53
The kinetic energy of the system can be
expressed as:
tan b

For a sphere:

x
l1

x
l1

2
J s ms rs2
5

1 2 1 x 1 2
1 xl2
2 2 l2

T mx J o ms rs x
ms

2
2 l1 2 5
l1rs 2 l1

Equating this to:

1
T = meq x 2
2
1 7 l22
meq = m + J o 2 + ms 2
l1 5 l1

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -10

Damping Elements
Damper is the element in vibratory system that
assumed to have neither mass nor elasticity and
responsible for energy loss in a typical
mechanical system.

Viscous Damping

Friction Damping

Energy is dissipated by
the Resistance of a fluid

Energy is dissipated by
the friction between
rubbing surfaces

Hysteretic Damping
Energy is stored and
dissipated by the
material as deformation
takes place

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -11

Viscous Damping

Damper (c)

Mostly a mathematically motivated form, allowing

a solution to the resulting equations of motion that predicts
reasonable (observed) amounts of energy dissipation.

Mechanical Vibrations

All real systems dissipate energy when they vibrate. To

account for this we must consider damping. The most simple
form of damping (from a mathematical point of view) is called
viscous damping. A viscous damper (or dashpot) produces a
force that is proportional to velocity.

fc
Introduction -12

Viscous Damping

body

body
x

x<y

x>y

Mechanical Vibrations

is a resistance force and it is always in an

opposite direction relative to the body motion.

fc

Introduction -13

Example 1.74
Find an expression for the equivalent translational
damping constant of the system shown below so
that the force F can be expressed as F = ceqv,
where v is the velocity of the rigid bar A.

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -14

Example 1.74

ceq2

Thus the system can be replaced by the two equivalent dampers in parallel:

Mechanical Vibrations

ceq1

So that;
Introduction -15

Example 1.2
Suggest a simple mathematical model by
considering the elasticity, mass, and damping
of the seat, human body, and restraints for a
vibration analysis of the system.

Mechanical Vibrations

Introduction -16

Example 1.2
Mechanical Vibrations
Introduction -17