Assignment 1 – Free Vibration

1. Equation of motion of a system under free vibration is given as below:

x = 40 sin [5t + 0.02] mm

Determine:

(a) natural frequency of the system

(b) displacement at t = 0
(c) velocity at t = 0

2. Consider the configuration of the spring-mass system shown in Figure A1. The spring

is attached to a rigid support at its upper end. A block of mass 8 kg hangs at the lower

end of the spring, which causes the spring to elongate 100 mm downward. At this

position, the block is given a velocity of 1500 mm/s downward.

(a) Assume +x is downward. Derive the equation of motion of the block in terms

of the generalized coordinate x where x is the displacement of the block from

equilibrium position;

(i) using Newton’s second law to the appropriate free-body diagram of the

system

(i) using Energy method

(b) Determine the position of the block when t = 0.2s.

m = 8 kg

Figure A1
3. A free vibration test is run to determine the spring stiffness and damping coefficient of

the mechanical system shown in Figure A2 (a). The system consists of stepped

cylinder connected to a block by a light rod. The mass and mass moment of inertia of

the cylinder are m2 and Io, respectively. While, the mass of the block is m1. As shown

in the figure, the system is restrained to move by two springs and a viscous damper.

The springs have stiffness of k1=k2=k and the damper has damping coefficient of c.

The block is displaced from equilibrium position and released with the initial

conditions of xo = 8mm and Ẋo = 0 mm/s. The ensuring oscillations of the block are

monitored and an oscilloscope provides the displacement data x(t) of the block, which

is shown in Figure A2 (b). Assume the cylinder rolls without slipping on the

horizontal surface.

(a) Derive the equation of motion of the system in terms of x by applying Newton’s

second law to the appropriate free-body diagram of the system. Find its maximum

natural frequency by varying the value a.

(b) Use the experimental data shown in Figure A2 (b) to find the spring constant k, the

damping coefficient c and then phase angle ϕ of the system.

Figure A2