Distributed-Parameter Systems

Chap. 6

494

Sec. 6.5

495

Bending Vibration of a Beam

w(x, 1) (i.e., so that the sides of the element dx do not bend), a summation of forces
in they direction yields

Euler-Bournoulll Beam Theory

.
.
d beam with the transverse direction of vibration
Figure 6.10 tUustrates a ~nulev(ere ) . . they direction]. T he beam is of rectanguindicated (i.e., the defiec_Mn,_w x~ \~~)mess h and length[. Also associated with
Jar cross section A(x) wtth ~tdth
El(x) ~here E is Young's elastic modulus
the beam is a [lexural ~bendmg) st n~ss al area 'moment of inertia about the "z axis."
for the beam a_nd I (x) ts t~e crothss-~ectton ustains a bending moment M ( x, I), which is
From mcchamcs of matenals, e earns
.
( ) b
deflection or bending dcformatwn, w x, t , y
relate d to t he bea m
'
a2w(x, t)
(6 85)
M(x, t) == E I (x)
ax2
.

Jf

.
.
.
be derived from examining the force diagram of
A mo~e.l of_ bendmg vtbrauon rnay as indicated in Figure 6.1 0. Assuming the dean infinttcstmal element of the beha: t th shear deformation is much smaller than
a
e
formation to be small enough sue

av(x, t ) )
a2w(x, t)
ax dx - V(x, t) + f(x, t) dx = pA(x) dx
at 2

( V(x, t) +

(6.86)

Here V ( x, t) is the shear force at the left end of the element dx, V (x, t) + V.r( x, t) d x
is the shear force at the right end of the element dx,f(x, t) is the total external force
applied to the element per unit length, and the term on the right side of the equality
is the inertial force of the element. The assumption of small shear deformation used
in the force balance of equation (6.86) is true if l/h, ~ 10 and l/hy ~ 10 (i.e., for
long slender beams or Euler-Bernoulli beams).
Next the moments acting on the element dx about the z axis through point Q
are summed. T his yields

[ M(x, t) +

aY(x, t)
dx
aM(x, t)
ax
dx - M(x, t) + V(x, t) +
ax dx dx + [f(x, t) dx] T == 0
(6.87)

Here the left-hand side of the equation is zer o since it is also assumed that the rotary
inertia of the element dx is negligible. Simplifying this expression yields

w(x,r)
dx

aM(x,t) + V(x t)]dx + [iJV(x,t) + f(x,t)](dx) 2 == 0

ax
2
ax
'

(6.88)

Since dx is assumed to be very small, ( dx )2 is assumed to be almost zero, so that this

moment expression yields (dx is small, but not zero)

V (x, t)
A(x)

aM(x, t)
ax

(6.89)

This states that the shear force is proportional to the spatial change in the bending
moment. Substitution of this expression for the shear force into equation (6.86) yields

a2

l'

=-

- - [M(x , t) ]dx
2

+ f(x,t)dx

pA(x)dx

a2w(x, 1)
~

{6.90)

F urther substitution of equation (6.85) into (6.90) and dividing by dx yields

pA(x)

a2w(x
at

1)
'

a2 [
a2w(x
'
+ - 2 El (x)
ilx
ax2

t)]

f(x, t)

(6.91)

If no external force is applied so thatf(x, t) = 0 and if EI(x) and A(x) are assumed
to be constant, equation (6.91) simplifies so that free vibration is governed by

(Pw(x, t) + cz a4w(x, t)
ar2
ax 4

c=

{Ei

Y;A

(6.92)

Note that unJike the previous equations, the free vibration equation (6.92) contains
four spatial derivat\ves and hence requires four (instead of two) boundary conditions

Distributed-Parameter Systems

496

Chap. 6

Sec. 6.5

Bending Vibration of a Beam

497

in calculating a solution. The presence of lhe two time derivatives again requires that
two initial conditions, one for the displacement and one for the velocity, be specified.
The boundary conditions required to solve the spatial equation in a
separation-of-variables solution of equation (6.92) are obtained by examining the
deflection w(x, t) , the slope of the deflection iJw(x, t)/ilx, the bending moment
EJiPw(x, t) jax2 , and the shear force a[EliJ2w(x, t)jax']fax at each end of the
beam. A common configuration is clamped-free o r cantilevered as illustrated in Figure 6.10. In additio n to a boundary being clamped or free, the end of a beam could
be resting on a support restrained from bending or deflecting. The situa tion is called
simply supported or pinned. A sliding boundary is one in which displacement is
allowed but rotation is not. The shear load at a sliding boundary is zero.
If a beam in transverse vibration is free at one e nd, the deflectiOJl and slope at
that end arc unrestricted, but the bending moment and shear force must vanish:

specified. As in the case of the rod tr'

db
. ..
fied initial deflection and velocity ~~o~:~:an ar, these InJtJal conditions are speci-

w(x, 0) = Wo(x)

assuming that t == 0 is the initial time N 0 t h

.
no motion will result.

e t at Wo and 10o cannot both be zero, or

The solution of equation (6.92) subject to four boundar
d' .
. .
tl h
Y~on JtJons and two mttial conditions proceeds following
exac y t e same steps used 10 previo
t'
A
separation-of-variables solution oftheform w(x t) = X( )T( ) . .
us se~ t?ns.
stitutcd into the equation ofmotion e
. '
x. t tsassumed.This tssub' quation (6.92), to yteld (after rearrangement)

X'"'(x)
1'(1)
c2 - - - = - - - X(x)
T(t) -

w
bending moment = E l = 0
ax2
c3

shear force = - c3

ax

iPw] = 0

(6.93)

El -

ax2

and w,(x, 0) = ti.lo(x)

w2

(6.97)

where the partial derivatives have been re 1 d . I

. .
t- z I 2
pace Will total denvauves as before
d
. ' - .d T dt ). Here the chOice of separation constant w2 is
come~ f;~~1 ~: ~~:;:~~:~:~i::: systems of Section 6.4, that the natural freq~edcy

(note: X'"' = d4X/dx4

made b

If, on the other hand, the end of a beam is clamped (or fixed), the bending moment
and shear force are unrestricted, but the deflection and slope must vanish at that end:
deflectio n = w = 0
aw
slope = - = 0

(6.94)

T(t) = Asinwc + Bcoswr

ax

At a simply supported or pinned end, the slope and shear force are unrestricted and
the deflection and bending moment must vanish:
deflection = w = 0

Th
t' I
u wn.
e spa Ja equation comes from rearranging equation (6.97), which yields

(~c ) X(x)
2

X""(x) -

At a sliding end, the slope or rotation is zero and no shear force is allowed. On the
other hand, the deflection and bending moment arc unrestricted. Hence, at a sliding
boundary,

(6.99)

~~~~ti~~: ~~~s:~:~~:c~~db!~~v~t~e~:~aspll~:a~ ~~1te1r.rn.ined by the specified initial

(6.95)

a2w

bending moment = El - 2 = 0
iJx

= 0

(6.100)

By defining [recall equation (6.92)]

(6.101)

aw
slope= = 0

ax

shear force = _!___ ( E T az~)

ax

(6.98)
which is the right side of equation (6.97).This temporal equation has a solution of the form

ax

(6.96)

=0

Other boundary conditions are possible by connecting the ends of a beam to a variety of devices such as lumped masses, springs, and so on. These boundary conditions
can be determined by force and moment balances.
In addition to satisfying four boundary conditions, the solution of equation
(6.92) for free vibration can be calculated only if two initial conditions (in time) are

and a~surning a solution to eq uation (6.100) of the form Ae<T.r the eneral solution
equatiOn (6.100) can be calculated to be of the form (see Pr~ble; 6.42)
of
X(x) = alsin j3x

+ a2cos{3x + a3sinhl3x + a4cosh{3x

(6.102)

H.ere the value for 13 and three of the four constants of inte rati

:~~~~~tc~~n~d from the four boundary conditions. The f~urt:~~~t:~tab~::!::

termined f;~m ~h: c~~~~~nts ~.a?d B ~om the te~poral equation, which arc then derocedure f r .
J. con JtJons. be followmg example illustrates the solution
P
o a be~m f1xed at one end and simply supported at the other end.

Distributed-Parameter Systems

498

Chap. 6

Sec. 6.5

Bending Vibration of a Beam

499
Example 6.5-l

Thus

Calculate the natural frequencies and mode shapes for the transverse vibration of a
beam of length I that is fixed at one end and pinned at the other end.
Solution The boundary conditions in this case are given by equation (6.94) at the fixed
end and equation (6.95) at the pinned end. Substitution of the general solution given by
equation (6.102) into equation (6.94) at x = 0 yields

X(O) = 0 => a 2 + a4 = 0
X'(O) = 0 => (3(a1
Similarly, at x

+ a 3)

(a)

=0

(b)

= I the boundary conditions result in

X (f)

EIX"(l)

= 0 => a 1sin 13/ -t- a2 cos [3/ + a 3 sinh 13/ + a4 cosh 131 = 0

(c)

= 0 => f3 (-a1 sinf3/- a 2 cosf31 + a3 sinbf3/ + a 4 coshf3/) = 0

(d)

These four boundary conditions thus yield four equations [(a) through (ci)J in the four unknown coefficients a 1, a2 , a3 , and a 4 These can be written as the siuglc vector equation

a = _ cosh [3,.1 - cos (3,./

3

for each n. Tbe fourth coefficient a cannot b d

.
.
cause the coefficient matrix is smgul~ ( h e. etcrmmed by th1s set of equations, be.
. .
ar Ot erw1se
each a would b
) Tb.i
.
mg coefflctcnt becomes the arb"tr
. d '
,
e zero .
s rcmam1 ary magmtu e of the
f

.
depends on 11, denote it by (a ) S b li .
egen uncuon. As this constant
X (x) for the spatial solution ;i;icts ~: r~~~~hoft t~ese _values o~ a, in the expression
have the form
a
e eJgenfuncltons or mode shapes

X(
, ..t)-(
- a~ )[ coshl3,1-cosal
P11

II
sinh 13"1 - sin 13,1 (smh [3,x - sm [3.,x) - coshf3,.x
II

sinhl3/

132 sinh 131 f32 cosh f3/

(12

a.

+ cos 13~~x].

= J , 2, 3, ...

The first three mode shapes are plotted in Figure 6 11 for('' ) - J a d

"

1 ][a]
a
= [OJ

0
cosh f3/

13

sinh 13,1 - sin 13,1 a4

"2 11 -

II =

1 2
,

,3.

Mode3

0
0
0

Recall from Chapter 4 that this vector equation can have a nonzero solution for the
vector a = [a1 a2 a3 a 4 only if the determinant of the coefficient matrix vanishes
(i.e., if the coefficient matrix is singular). Furthermore, recall that since the coefficient
matrix is singular, not all of the elements of the vector a can be calculated.
Selling the detem1inant above equal to zero yields the characteristic equation

tan f31

tanh f31

x/1

This equality is satisfied for an infinite number of choices for 13. denoted 13,. The solution
can be visualized by plotting both tan 131 and tanh 131 versus 131 on the same plot. This is
similar to the solution technique used in Example 6.4.] and illustrated in Figure 6.9.
The first Cive solutions are

f31/ = 3.926602

[32 1 = 7.068583

f34/ "" 13.351768

13sl = 16.49336143

f3J/

> 5), the solutions to the char-

(41'1 + 1)'11"
4

With these values of the weighted frequencies 13,./, the individual modes of vibration can
be calculated. Solving the preceding matrix equation for the individual coefficients a;
yields a1 = - a3 , a2 = -a4 , and
(sinhf3,.1- sinl3,./)a3

+ (coshf3

11 /

These mode shapes can be shown to be orthogonal, so that

i'x,(;"')X.,(x)dx

For the rest of the modes (i.e., for values of the index n
acteristic equation are well approximated by

[3,.1 =

= 10.210176

Figure 6. U Plot of the first ihree mode sha

f
.
beam of Example 6 5 1 b" . .
pes 0 the clampcd- piJtncd
ar llran1Ynormalized to unity.

cosl3,./)a4 == 0

=0

.
.
for n
m (sec Exercise 6.45). As in Exa
tial conditions can be used to calcul t tbmp1e 6.3.2, this orthogonality, along with the ini.
'
a e econstantsA" andB" 10 the scnes

.
t he displacement
solut1on for
tu(x,t) =

f (A, sin w,t +B., cosw t)X (x )

n- 1

Table 6.6 summarizes a number of dif

b
.
.
slender beam. The slender beam m d l . e~ent o~dary conftgurations for the
'
o e gtven m equatton (6.91) is often referred to

NDARY CONFIGURATIONS OF A SLENDER

TABLE 6.6 SAMPLE OF VARIOUS :uLENGTH I ILLUSTRATING WEIGHTED NATURAL
BEAM IN TRANSVERSE VIBRATION
FREQUENCIES AND MODE SHAPES

Free-free

a ..

Mode shape
cosh 13.rt .._ cos \3,.,.

0 (rigid-body mode)
4.73004074
7.85320462
10.9956078
14.1371655
17.2787597
( 211 + l)n for 11 > 5

t=x
I ,___,]

- a 11 (sinh 13,,. +sin 13,rr)b

0.9825
1.0008
0.9999

Such that the plane of symme try of the beam is also the plane of vibration so
that rotation and translation are decoupled
Such that rotary inertia and shear deformation can be neglected

t.OOOO
0.9999

1 for 11 > 5

cos 131 cosh ~/ - 1

0.7341
1.0185
0.9992
1.0000
1.0000

1.87510407
4.69409113
7.85475744
l0.99554073
14.13716839
(211- 1)'T1'

~ Clamped- free l

for 11 >

1 for

cos 131 cosh ~/

cosh 13.X

3.92660231
7.06858275
10.210176t2
13.35176878
16.49336143

Clamped-pinned

(4n

+ 1)11'

cos 13,,x

11

l.OOOB

4
tan 131 + tanh

EQUATIONS FOR THE MODE SHAPE

COEFFICIENTS"" FOR USE IN TABLE 6.48

Boundary condition

Formula for ern

Frec-[rec

a., = sinh 13.,/

1 [or 11 > l

Clamped-pinned

13,rY -

COS

13,rY

0.9825
1 for 11 > 1

-a11 (sinh 13,,x - sin 13..x)

11

13/

cosh j311x

cos 13.,r

a =

cosh 13.,/
cosh 13.,/
a" = sinh 13,./
"

sin f3.J

sinh (3.,/ - sin 13.,/

+ cos 13.1
-

cos ~..1
sin 13,./

Clamped-sliding

sinh ~.. 1 - sin~.,/

a ., = cosh !3.,/ + cos 13,,1

Clamped-damped

Same as [ree- free

-u11 (sinh 13, - sin 13.rr)

0.982502
1.00078

0.999966

t.OOOO

1 for 11 > 5

1
111TX

sin-1

Timoshenko Beam Theory

t.OOOO

- - - - f o r 11 >5

2
cos 13/ cosh 131

cosh~,./ - cos ~ .. 1

These coefficients arc used in the calculations for the mode

shapes, as illustrated in Example 6.5.1.

> 5

4.73004074
7.85320462
\0.9956079
14.1371.655
17.2787597
(2n + l)'TI'

none

sin 131 == 0
Pinned-pinned
.
. ., 1are related 10 the nat 11ral frequencaes by
H ere the weighted natural frc~es P d . E rnple 6 5 1 The values of a1 for the
- aly/fpA.asuse 111 xa

.
formulas given in l."able 6.5.
equation (6. 101) or"'" - P
mode shapes are computed from the
t
d X _ A(l" _ i/ 2) the first is
bThere arc two fccc- free mod~ shapes: Xo = cons an1 an
o.
'
translational,the second rotatonal.

TABLE 6. 7

>S
COW

for

ClaJRped-<:larnped

>5

T he key to solving for the time response of distributed-parameter systems is

the orthogonality o( the mode shapes. Note from Table 6.7 that the mode shapes are
quite complicated in many configurations. This does not mean that orthogonality is
.n ecessarily violated, just that evaluating the integrals in the modal analysis procedure becomes mo re difficult.

Clamped-free

for

2.36502037
5.49780392
8.63937983
11.78097245
14.92256510
(411- 1)11'

11

-a11 (sinh ~"r - sin 13,.~)

tan 13/ - tanh 13/

Clarnpcd-;;liding

as the Euler-Bemoufli or BernouUi-Euler beam equation. The assumptions used in

formulating this model are that the beam be
Composed of a linear, homogeneous, isotropic elastic material without axial loads
Such that plane sections remain plane

a-x

501

Bending Vibration of a Beam

Uniform along its span, or length, and slender

Weighted frequen_ci':"
~ 1 a~d charactensuc
11
equauon

Configuration

Sec. 6.5

The model of .the tra nsverse vibration of the beam presented in equation (6.91 )
ignores the e ffects of shear deformation and rotary inertia. Beams modeled including the effects of rotary inertia and shear deformation are called Timoshenko beams.
These effects arc considered next. As mentioned previously, it is safe to ignore the
shear deformation as long as the h z and h,. illustrated in Figure 6.10 are small compared with the length of the beam. As the beam becomes shorter, the efiect of shear
deformation becomes evident. This is illustrated in Figure 6.12, which is a repeat of
the e lement dx of Figure 6.10 with shear deformation included.
R eferring to the figure, the line OA is a line through the center of the element
dx perpendicular to the face at the right side. The line OB, on the o ther hand, is the