ME 413: System Dynamics & Control

Mechanical Systems (1
(1)
Mass - Spring System

k
M
y
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ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

MECHANICAL SYSTEMS (1)

MASS - SPRING SYSTEM
OBJECTIVES
1.

To

To
To

2.
3.
4.

determine the stiffness of a helical spring using:

Hookes law method.
The oscillation period time method.
The analytical method.
find the effective mass of the spring.
evaluate the gravitational acceleration g .

To find the value of the modulus of rigidity

standard value for steel.

and compare it with the

THEORY
Part A: Hookes Law Method
A helical spring, deflecting as a result of applied force, conforms to Hookes Law
(deflection proportional to deflecting force). Hookes Law expressed mathematically
is,

F = ky
where

is the applied force,

(1)

is the deformation of the elastic body subjected to

the force F , and k is the spring constant. The graph of force against deflection is a
straight line as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Deflection proportional to applied force according to Hookes law.

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

The slope of the line is

( F y ) = k

represents the stiffness of the spring and is

defined as the force required to produce unit deflection.

Part B: The Oscillation Period Method

Consider the mass spring system shown in Figure 2. The equation of motion can be
given by

M y

+ k y = 0

(2)

or

y

+

k
y=0
M

y

+ n2 y = 0

where

n =

k
M

(3)

is the natural frequency of the system and is

expressed in rad/s.

y
Figure 2 Mass spring system.

Taking LT of both sides of the above equation for

y ( 0 ) = y

and

y
( 0 ) = y


gives

s 2Y (s ) sy ( 0 ) y
( 0 ) + n2 Y (s ) = 0



L y

rearrange to get

Y (s ) =
The poles of

Y (s )

are

s1,2 = j n

sy  + y

s 2 + n2

as shown in Figure 3. The expression of

(4)

Y (s )

can be rewritten in the form

Y( s) =
and the response

y (t )

y

n
s
+ y 2
2
2
n s + n
s + n2

(5)

is given by

y (t ) =

y

sin ( nt ) + y cos ( nt )
n

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

(6)

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

= y


y (t )

Im

s plane

y

n
Re

=
Figure 3

2
n

Free response of a simple harmonic motion and pole location on the s-plane.

The response

y (t )

consists of a sine and cosine terms and depends on the values of

the initial conditions

y

and

y


as shown in Figure 3. Periodic motion such that

described by the above equation is called simple harmonic motion.

if

y
( 0 ) = y
 = 0,
y (t ) = y cos ( nt )

The period

(7)

is the time required for a periodic motion to repeat itself., that is

n
The frequency

M
k

(8)

represents the number of cycles per second (cps), and the

standard unit of frequency is the Hertz (Hz); that is 1 Hz is 1 cps,

f =

(9)

The natural frequency

n ,

given by Equation (3), is the frequency of the free

vibration of a system with no damping. If the natural frequency is measured in Hz or

in cps, it is denoted by fn . If it is measured in rad/sec, it is denoted by n such that

n = 2f =

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

k
M

(10)

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

EXPERIMENT
Apparauts
Figure 4 shows the required
setup
for
the
experiment.
Suspend the helical spring from
the upper adjustable assembly
(C1) and clamp the top member
of the portal frame. To the lower
end of the spring is bolted a rod
and integral platform (C3) onto
which 0.4 kg masses may be
added. The rod passes through a
brass guide bush, fixed to an
adjustable plate (C2), which
attaches to the lower member. A
depth gauge is supplied which,
when
fitted to the upper
assembly with its movable stem
resting on the top plate of the
guide rod, can be used to
measure deflection, and thereby
the stiffness, of a given spring.

Figure 4

Apparatus for the mass-spring

system.

Layout and Description of the Experiment

Figure 5 shows an extension of
the linear helical spring with
effective mass ms and initial free
length

Li .

The free length of the

spring loaded with the load carrier

alone is Lo . The spring is
supported vertically from one of
its ends, while the free end is
attached to a load-carrier of mass
mc = 1.47 kg.
Disks

each

md = 0.4 kg

Lo

ms

one
of
mass
are attached to the

carrier gradually and each loading

causes the spring to elongate by a
distance y from its unloaded
length

Spring mass

to get a total length of

Lo
L

y
Disk

y md

Load carrier

mc

as shown in figures 5 and 6.

Figure 5

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

Layout of the experiment.

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

Part 1:

Determination of the Spring Constant k Using

Hookes Law Method

The force exerted by an ideal spring is a linear restoring force vector whose
magnitude is F = ky in direction opposite to the stretch y . This force tries to

L = L .

y = L L is
elastic extension (stretch) of the spring from its unstretched length L .
restore the spring to its original length

Li

The quantity

the

Lo L

Lo

F = ky

m = md

mg
Figure 6

Spring deflection according to Hookes Law.

For static equilibrium, the magnitude of the upward force,

on

is equal to the weight of the attached mass,

We would determine the value of

various weights
length

W = mg .

F , exerted by the spring

W = mg

where

m=

by measuring the amount of stretch

y for

It turns out simpler and more accurate to measure the

for various masses

m , and then determine k

F = mg = ky = k ( L L )

from the relation

(11)

or

L = S1m + L = ( g / k ) m + L

(12)

L = ( g / k ) m + L


The above equation represents a straight

line relationship between L and m with a
slope

S1 = ( g / k )

and an intercept

L

as

S1

L

slope

shown in Fig. ( 7.)

Figure 7

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

Relationship between
and L .

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

Procedure
1. Fix the specimen spring to the portal frame, with the loading platform
suspended underneath and the guide rod passing through the guide bush.
Carefully adjust the system to ensure that the guide bush is directly below the
top anchorage point, since any misalignment will produce experimental errors
due to friction. Friction can be minimized by using grease or oil around the
bush.
2. Using the gauge measure the length of the spring with the platform unloaded
( Lo ).
3. Add weights in increments, taking note of the extension in Table 1.
4. Remove the weights, again noting the length at each increment, as the
system is unloaded.
5. From these deflection values determine the mean value of the extension for
the spring.

Part 2:

The Oscillations Period Method

Consider the mass spring system shown in Figure 2. For the free vibration case, the
equation of motion given by equation (2) as

M y

+ k y = 0

(13)

where

M = m + mc + meff =
where

meff
ms .

m=

is the total mask of the disks,

+ mc + meff
mc

(14)

is the load carrier mass and

is the effective spring mass, which is less than the actual mass of the spring
The effective mass of the spring would be equal to its actual mass, if each coil

had the same amplitude as the attached mass. Each coil of the spring oscillates with
different amplitude. The coil at the top of the spring has zero amplitude. The coil at
the bottom of the spring has the same amplitude as the attached mass. The reason
for the discrepancy between the theoretical value and the measured value is that the
theoretical relationship is based on a massless spring, while a real spring has mass
and it contributes to the total oscillating mass. On the other hand, you cannot simply
add the entire mass of the spring to the oscillating mass because each part of the
spring undergoes less and less motion as the top end of the spring is approached.
Instead, the spring will contribute an effective mass

meff , that is somewhat less than

the spring mass. The effective mass of a spring which is uniform along its length (no
tapered or distorted by use) is

meff =
Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

ms
3

(15)

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

The natural frequency of the above system is

k
=
M

n =

k
m + mc + meff

(16)

m + mc + meff
M
= 2
k
k

(17)

and the period of oscillations is

2
n

Taking the square of both sides of equation (17, gives

4 2
=
(m + mc + meff ) = S 2m + S 2 (mc + meff )
k
2

Equation (18) represents a straight line of the form

S 2 = 42 k

and an intercept

= S 2 (mc + meff )

y = S 2x +

(18)

with a slope

as shown in Figure (8).

2 = y
2 = S 2m + S 2 (mc + meff )
slope

yint =

x int

m=x

............



= (mc + meff )
Figure 8

Linear relationship between

and

2 .

Procedure
1. Pull the mass with its weight hanger down to about 2 to 3 cm below its
equilibrium level and release. For each increment of weight start counting
oscillations when the mass reaches either the highest or the lowest point.
Start counting at zero while starting a stopwatch. The greater the number of
oscillations, the more accurate is the measurement of the period. Count about
25 to 50 oscillations, and stop the stopwatch. Record the total time in Table
2

2, and calculate the period and . Repeat this procedure for all
recommended masses. Note that the oscillating mass is not just the mass of

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

the slotted weights in each case. In each calculation, the mass of the weight
hanger must be taken into account.
2. One may use a more accurate method to calculate the period . This method
consists of capturing the free vibration of a single degree of freedom system
on a chart recording as shown in Figure 9. The period of the vibrating
system is easily computed from the strip chart recording if the velocity v p of
the paper in the chart recording is known. The time length of the paper is
determined by measuring the length of the paper l p , that is

tp =

lp
vp

(19)

and the period of oscillations is simply

=
where

tp
N

(20)

is the number of cycles considered.

lp
n =1

Figure 9

Part 3:

n =N

n =2

Example from strip chart recording from a free vibration test.

Determination of the Spring Constant k Using

Analytical Expression

The spring constant

may be found directly from the analytical expression

d 4G
k =
8D 3N

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

(21)

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

Where

is the wire diameter,

D = ( Di + Do ) 2

is the mean diameter,

is the

number of coils or turns in the spring and G is the modulus of rigidity. For steel
G = 80 GPa. Figure 10 shows the helical spring geometry and nomenclature.

Do
Di

Figure 10

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

Helical spring geometry

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

REQUIREMENTS
1. Measure the mass entire mass
fraction is

meff

ms

of the spring with a balance. About what

of the total spring mass.

2. Measure all the necessary dimensions of the spring such as inside diameter

Di , outside diameter Do , wire diameter d

and number of coils

3. Complete Table 1. Plot a graph for the extension against load as shown in
Figure 7, and from this find the slope S1 and determine the spring stiffness,

k . Remember that S1 = ( g / k ) .
Table 1

Measure of the spring constant k

md

Deflection

(Kg)

Loading

Mean

Unloading

(mm)

0
0.4
0.8
1.2
1.6
2.0
2.4
2.8
3.2
3.6
4.0
4. Complete Table 2. Plot

versus

deduce the spring constant value

Table 2
Mass M
(kg)

m.

Find the slope

S2

of the graph and

k . Remember for this case, k = 42 S 2

).

Period of oscillations ofmass on spring

Time t for n
oscillations
(s)

Period

=t n

(s)

2
(s2)

1.47
3.47
4.27
4.67
5.07
5.47
Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

10

ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

5. Using Figure 8 obtain the value of the mass

the

x int

yint .

or the

Compare the value of

meff
meff

of the spring by using either

obtained with the generally

accepted value, that is 1/3 mass of the spring.

6. Using Figure 8 obtain the value of the mass
the

x int

or the

meff

of the spring by using either

yint .

7. Using equation (21) find

k.

8. Compare between the three methods above in finding the values of k and
Calculate the percent difference for the values of k obtained by the three
methods.
9. Since

S1

and

S2

are known from the previous plots, multiply

1 g k
g
S1 = 2 = 2
S 2 k 4 4
compare it to the standard value g = 9.81 m/s2.
This would give you

10. Choosing some typical results,

calculating

g =

S2 =

by

(1 S ) .

. From this find

and

9.81 m/s2, what error is introduced in

by neglecting the effective mass of the spring?

11. Substituting equation (21) into equation (18), show that

2

S1

32N D
Gd 4

S2

may be given by

and hence obtain a value of

G.

obtained here compare with the standard value of

How does the value of

G = 80 GPa for steel?

12. In Equation (11) and (12) why we did not equate the spring force with the
total weight of the system Mg ?
13. State your comments based on the results obtained for this experiment.
14. State briefly your conclusions.

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

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ME 413: System Dynamics and Control Lab Manual

References
1. http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&Resour
ceID=421
2. http://www.npl.co.uk/ssfm/ssfm1/tt/ssfm_interactive_examples/springies/spring
_applet.html
3. http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/s/p/springs/source.html
4. http://www.engineerstoolbox.com/doc/etb/mod/stat1/spring/spring_help.html
5. http://webphysics.davidson.edu/Applets/animator4/demo_hook.html
6. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/permot2.html
7. http://www.engineersedge.com/spring_tension_calc_k.htm
8. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/shm2.html
9. http://www.techteach.no/kybsim/mass_spring_damper/index.php

Mechanical Systems (1): Mass - Spring System

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