Vibrations of Structures

Module III: Vibrations of Beams

Lesson 30: Vibrations of Rings and Arches

Contents:
1. Equations of Motion
2. Vibrations of a Ring
3. Vibrations of an Arch

Keywords: Modal analysis, Ritz method, Rings, Arches

Vibrations of Rings and Arches

1

Equations of Motion
The non-dimensional equations of motion of a curved beam of constant

radius of curvature are given by

where sr = R
given by

u,tt + w, + u, + 1/s2r (u, w, ) = 0

(1)

w,tt w u, + 1/s2r (u, w, ) = 0

(2)

p
A/I is the slenderness ratio. The boundary conditions are

= 0 and : w + u, + s2r (u, w, ) = 0

= 0 and : u, w, = 0
= 0 and : u, w, = 0

or
or

or

u=0

(3)

w=0

(4)

w, = 0

(5)

For a complete ring, instead of these boundary conditions, we have only the
periodicity condition
u( + 2, t) = u(, t)

and

w( + 2, t) = w(, t).

(6)

Vibrations of a Ring
We first consider a free complete ring, i.e., = 2. Using the peri-

odicity condition (6), we assume a solution of the form [u(, t), w(, t)] =
2

[U, W ]ei(nt) , where U and W are constants, and n = 0, 1, . . . , . Substituting this solution form in (1)-(2) gives the eigenvalue problem
[ 2 + n2(1 + 1/s2r )]U in[1 + n2/s2r ]W = 0

(7)

in[1 + n2 /s2r ]U + [ 2 + 1 + n4 /s2r )]W = 0.

(8)

The characteristic equation is obtained as



2 + n2 (1 + 1/s2r ) in(1 + n2/s2r )
Det
in(1 + n2/s2r )
2 + 1 + n4 /s2r
4 (1 + n2 (1 + n2)/s2r + n2 ) 2 + n2 (1 n2 )2/s2r = 0.

(9)

which gives the non-dimensional circular eigenfrequencies . The corresponding eigenvectors [U, W ] are determined from (7)-(8), and the eigenfunctions
are then obtained as real and imaginary parts (or their combination) of
[U, W ]ein . The real and imaginary parts yield linearly independent eigenfunctions, implying that all the modes of vibration of a free uniform circular
ring are degenerate.

n = 0:
The circular eigenfrequencies and the corresponding eigenvectors (obtained
from (7)-(8)) are = 0, [U, W ] = [1, 0], and = 1, [U, W ] = [0, 1].
p
The dimensional circular natural frequency is given by = /R E/ =
p
1/R E/. The = 0 mode is a rigid-body rotation mode (angular mo-

mentum conservation mode), while the = 1 mode is the axisymmetric

vibration mode (breathing mode). Thus, in this mode, u = 0 and w = e it.

3

(a) 4 = 1

(b) 5 = 1.416

(c) 1 = 0.134

(d) 6 = 2.243

(e) 2 = 0.378

(f) 7 = 3.175

(g) 3 = 0.724

(h) 8 = 4.142

Figure 1: First few modes of vibrations

of a free circular ring (dimensional circular natural
p
frequency is given by i = (i /R) E/)

The breathing mode is shown in Fig. 1(a).

n = 1:
The circular eigenfrequencies and the corresponding eigenvectors are = 0,
p
[U, W ] = [i, 1], and = 2(1 + 1/s2r ), [U, W ] = [1, i]. The = 0 mode

is a rigid-body translation mode (linear momentum conservation mode). For

p
= 2(1 + 1/s2r ), u = sin eit and w = cos eit. The dimensional circup
p
lar natural frequency is given by = ( 2(1 + 1/s2r )/R) E/. This mode is
shown in Fig. 1(b) which may give an impression of shifting of the center of

mass of the ring. However, it is interesting to note that the linear momentum
is conserved. The mass distribution of the ring changes (due to circumfer4

ential motion, as indicated by the small circles) to keep the location of the
center of mass unchanged.
Continuing this further, one can calculate all the natural frequencies and
the corresponding modes of vibrations. Certain modes of vibrations are
shown in Fig. 1(c)-(h).

Vibrations of an Arch
We consider an arch consisting of a sector of a ring [0, ]. The modal

analysis is carried out numerically using Ritz method. The variational statement for a curved beam of constant radius of curvature can be expressed in
a non-dimensional form as

t2
t1

1
2

Z 
0

where sr = R

u2,t

w,t2


1
2
(w + u, ) 2 (u, w, ) ddt = 0,
sr
2

(10)

p
A/I is the slenderness ratio. Two kinds of boundary condi-

tions are considered as follows.

Pinned arch:
A pinned-pinned arch is shown in Fig. 2. The boundary conditions are obtained from (3)-(5) as
= 0 and : u = 0,

w = 0,

u, w, = 0.

(11)

 u
,

r, w

, A, EI

Figure 2: Arch with pined support

Consider the admissible functions

u = a1 (t)( ) + a2 (t)2( ) + a3 (t)2( )2,

(12)

w = a4 (t)( ) + a5 (t)2( ) + a6 (t)2( )2,

(13)

which satisfy the geometric boundary conditions (first two conditions) in (11).
Substituting the above expressions in (10) leads to the discretized equations
of motion of the arch of the form
M
a + Ka = 0

(14)

which can then be solved for determining the natural frequencies and modes
of vibrations. The first two non-dimensional circular eigenfrequencies are
obtained as 1 = 0.1568 and 2 = 0.6872. The dimensional circular eigenp
frequencies are given by i = i /R E/. The corresponding eigenvectors
are used to calculate the modes of vibration using (12)-(13). The first two
modes of vibration are shown graphically in Fig. 3. The fundamental mode
is unsymmetric while the second mode is symmetric.
6

1 =

0.157
R

0.687
R

2 =

Figure 3: First two modes of vibrations of an arch with pinned ends

Clamped arch:
The boundary conditions are obtained from (3)-(5) as
= 0 and : u = 0,

w = 0,

w, = 0.

(15)

All the boundary condtions in this case are geometric conditions.

The admissible functions are taken as
u = a1 (t)( ) + a2 (t)2( ) + a3 (t)2( )2,

(16)

w = a4 (t)2( )2 + a5 (t)3( )2 + a6 (t)3( )3.

(17)

Substituting these expressions in (10) again leads to the discretized equations of motion of the arch of the form (14). The first two non-dimensional
circular eigenfrequencies are obtained as 1 = 0.2694 and 2 = 0.7502. The
corresponding eigenvectors are used to calculate the modes of vibration using
(16)-(17). The first two modes of vibration are shown in Fig. 4.

1 =

0.269
R

2 =

0.750
R

Figure 4: First two modes of vibrations of an arch with built-in ends