International Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences IJBAS-IJENS Vol:12 No:06
Case Study on Determination of Inertia Moments
of Details with Complex Shapes
Asllan Hajderi1, Veronika Hajdari2

Abstract— In this study it is treated the precise determining
problem of inertia moments of details with complex form,
performing a circular motion. The accuracy of calculation of
the inertia moments of the mass, directly affects on the
accuracy of oscillation frequencies and vibrations level of
mechanical system. This makes that is specified the system
resonance zones and the amplitude of oscillation.
As a case study for the calculation it is taken crankshaft of
the engine, which has complex shape. For this case it is used
theoretical method, which calculates the moment of inertia of
the detail drawing. In fact, in practice, the completed details
change form given in drawing, because it affect the
technological manufacturing tolerances and dynamic balancing
process. Therefore it is used experimental method, which takes
account when the material is not homogeneous. The chosen
method is hanging method, because it is accurate, simple and
the device is designed and produced easy and it can also be used
for other details.
The results of experimental measurements performed for 4
crankshafts, have shown that the values of the moments of
inertia are about 7% smaller than those derived from
theoretical method and differ by 4% from one detail to another.
Therefore it is proposed that details during repairs change, it is
made the experimental determination of the moment of inertia,
because it affects more on the level of torsional vibration system
and consequently on the breaking of travel comfort.
Index Term— moment of inertia, hanging method, free
frequency.
I. INT RODUCT ION
The moment of inertia is a size that characterizes the
dispersion of the mass of bodies and serves to study the
dynamics of the body and mechanical system [1]. For
determination of the inertia moment, it is used theoretical and
experimental methods. Theoretical method is used for regular
geometric bodies with uniform distribution of mass.
Experimental methods are used for bodies with complex shape
and irregular distribution of mass. Depending on the
movement of the detail it is used the different methods.
1
Asllan Hajderi is with Department of Mechanic and T ransport,
University “ Aleksander Moisiu” Durres, Albania; e-mail:
ashajderi@yahoo.com,
2
Veronika Hajdari is with Department of Construction and
Infrastructure, Polytechnic University of T irana,Albania e-
mail:veronikahajdari@yahoo.com
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241
For the study it is taken crankshaft of engines, which makes
the rotational motion around the main axe. Moment of inertia
of the crankshaft is necessary during the study of torsional
dynamic loads, especially in the study of torsional vibration of
crankshaft system and all torsional system of vehicle
transmission [2,3]. For this it is necessary the development of
equivalent scheme, which must have the same kinetic energy,
which constitutes the mechanical model. This consists from a
number of mass drives, which are connected between them
with elastic sectors, with the condition that the kinetic energy
to be the same as the real system. One of the main tasks in
forming equivalent scheme is to determine the moments of
inertia of the crankshaft. In studying of the vibration of the
system, it is take special importance two elements [3,4,5]:
- Determination of free frequencies
- Determination of oscillation forms of mechanical system.
Free frequencies receive practical importance, because it is
necessary to move away from resonance areas, which relate
with one of the frequencies of the harmonics exciting. Rotation
speeds, when the phenomenon occurs are called "critical
speed". These regimes break the normal operation of the
engine, and cause beating in its details, which are associated
with noise. During that it occur the increasing of loads in
mechanisms of engine and in all other parts of the transmission
system. While oscillation forms give a comparative
presentation on the degree of crankshaft parts tension. The
definition of these elements depends on the accuracy of
determining of inertia moments of crankshaft and other
elements of torsional system [3,4,5]
During the repair of the vehicle engine can be replaced
crankshaft, clutch, etc., which lead to the change of inertia
moments of mechanical system and consequently in the
increase of torsional vibration of system, increasing of the
dynamic loads and breaking of travel comfort [3,4,5]. Through
the establishment of additional mass we can improve the state
of charge, noise and comfort. This serves for engineers and
workers of vehicle repair sector, when it is occurs problems
during replacement of crankshaft, or other elements torsional
system.
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 International Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences IJBAS-IJENS Vol:12 No:06 242

II. DETERMINATION OF THE INERTIA MOMENT OF CRANKSHAFT
A. Theoretical Method
Inertia moments of bodies determined in relation to one or
more of its axes, depending on movement of body. For details
that perform circular motion, it is determined the moment of
inertia to the rotation axis.
Theoretical method used for details with uniform
distribution of mass. Usually for vehicle details prepared by
Fig. 1. T he crankshaft crank
metal (steel, iron, aluminum, etc..), it can accept a uniform
distribution. For bodies with complex shapes [6], it is used the
method of separation of the body in a number of bodies with
regular geometric shape, which was known moments of inertia
part are too small and not taken into consideration)
Based on data of crankshaft shown in table I, it results that
Ig = 630 kg cm 2
B. Experimental Methods
For determination of the inertia moments , it is used several
experimental methods, but we have chosen the hangin g
method. This method is easy to implement, does not need
difficult constructions to capture, measurement devices are
apparatus of measuring time and it have high precision in the
determination of the inertia moment of bodies , that make
rotational movement [7]
This method consists in the hanging of the detail in two
parallel thin wire with negligible mass, in such a way that the
rotation axis is vertical, and the length of the wires must be
greater than 5 times the distance between them. (Fig 2). I give
body small rocking motion to the vertical axis and it set free.
System perform small oscillation toward the equilibrium
position, which is accepted linear for parameter angle of wire φ,
with vertical axes. From the differential equation of vibrations,
free frequency of vibrations of body with weight G, will be
determined [7,8]:
  Ga 2
4 I oz l (4)

to their geometric axes. Then it is calculated moments of inertia From which we determine the period of oscillation of the
to axes parallel to the axis and by using Hugens -Shtajner hanging body
theorem, it is counted them towards the rotation axis of the 16  2 I oz l
body and becomes the addition on of all the moments of inertia T  Ga 2
(5)
of bodies on rotation axis of the body.
and the moment of inertia of the body, to the axis.
For knee of crankshaft of engines with four times, with four
cylinders in a row show in fig. 1, the moment of inertia will be
calculated [2,3]:
Ig = Iqk + Iqb +2If + Ikp
Where:
I qk - represents the moment of inertia of the main journal and
calculated:

I qk  
32
D 1
4
 d14  l1 (1)

I qb - represents the moment of inertia of the crankpin to main

journal and calculated:
I qb    32  Dk4  dk4  lk  4  Dk2  dk2  lk R2  32 dk4 lk  f  (2)
I f - represents the moment of inertia of crankshaft web and
calculated:
I f    23 bhl

 h2 l 2
12 
 R4  4 b
2
 d14  dk4
8 
 R 2 d k2  (3)

I Kp - is the moment of inertia of the counterbalance of the Fig. 2. T he Construction of pendant device for measuring the
crankshaft. (Moments of inertia of the nose and the bottom moment of inertia crankshaft knee
TABLE I
DIMENSIONS OF CRANKSHAFT
D1 (cm) Dk (cm) dk (cm) f (cm) l(cm) b(cm)
R(cm) d1 (cm) l1 (cm) k(cm)

7.6 8.5 0 8.5 3.15 7.6 8.5 0 8.5 3

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 International Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences IJBAS-IJENS Vol:12 No:06 243

I oz  Ga 2T 2 4. Recognizing the weight of equipment part Gp and

(6)
16 2 l weight of crankshaft G k, determine moment of inertia :
( Gk  G p ) a 2T12
Ik , p 
To implement this method we was produced device for
(9)
hanging of crankshaft, which is shown in fig. 2. It consists of 2 16 2 l
parts. Upper part is a plate with disc shape , which are open While the moment of inertia of the equipment part
two holes with diameter Φ1mm in distance a, where the wire
with diameter Φ1mm will pass. The plate fixed with two bolt to
traverse. The lower part consists of a flange with disc shape ,
in which are open two holes with diameter Φ1mm in distance
a, where wire with diameter Φ1 mm will pass. In this case
distance between wires is 80 mm and length of wires, 1055 mm
(about 5 fold). In the upper plate, there are open two
symmetric hole, serving for fixation of crankshaft with two bolt
in support
For measurement of the inertia moment of the crankshaft, by
hanging method with two wire follow the below method [7,8]:
1.In beginning it is made the passage of the wire through
two holes of plate. The lower plate fix on crankshaft with 2
bolt. After this upper plate fix with 2 bolt in support in order to
the crankshaft to be in vertical position (the control of vertical
level it is done in two perpendicular directions).
2. We give a small oscillation to vertical axis with small
amplitude, that we have small angles of wires with the vertical. Fig. 3. Determination of the moments of inertia with the
We have measured the time of 50 oscillation, t 1. The proof hanging method with two wire
repeated 3 times and it is taken the average time of 50
G p a 2T22
oscillation t av 1 . The period of oscillation of crankshaft with Ip  16  2 l
(10)
part of equipment will determinate :
t1 Moment of inertia of the crankshaft cranks will be
T1  av
50 (7) calculated:
Ik , p I p
3. It is made oscillation of equipment without crankshaft Ig  igj (11)
(bottom flanges with bolt) and it is measured the time of 50
oscillation, t 2. The proof repeated 3 times and it is taken the Where ik - is the number of knees of the crankshaft.
average time t 2av. The period of oscillation of equipment will According to the above methodology are performed
be: measurements for 4 crankshafts. In fig. 3, it is shown a picture
2 of crankshaft during the measurement of vibration time.
T2  tav
50 (8) The results of measurement are shown in table II. Results
TABLE II
RESULT OF MEASUREMENTS AND CALCULATIONS OF THE P ERIOD OF OSCILLATION
Axis Weight (kg) Average time T he period of oscillation
Proof I Proof II Proof III of 50 (1/sek)
oscillation
(sec)
I 57.6 159.1 159.6 159.3 159.4 3.19
II 57.1 161.2 161.7 160.8 161.6 3.23
III 56.8 166.6 165.3 166.7 165.7 3.31
IV 57.3 164.2 164.7 164.8 164.6 3.29
T he device 1.64 122.6 TABLE III
122.1 122.3 122.3 2:44
MOMENT OF INERTIA OF CRANKSHAFT
Crankshaft Axis I Axis II Axis III Axis IV T he device

Moment of inertia 2315.9 2354.3 2459.7 2450.9 37.5

(Kg cm 2)
Average inertia moment for 569.5 579.2 603.1 603.3
a crank (kg cm 2)

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 International Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences IJBAS-IJENS Vol:12 No:06
Fig. 4. Comparison of experimental values of the inertia moment
with the theoretical value
of calculation according to 9, 10, 11 are shown in Table III, and
comparative evaluation with the theoretical value is shown in
fig. 4.
The average value of the moment of inertia extract from the
experimental measurements results I = 589 kg cm 2
III. DISCUSSION
The analysis of the results shows that for the crankshaft get
to study, theoretical method determines that value of the
inertia moment to the rotation axis is Ioz = 630 kg cm 2, which is
7% higher than the average value of the moment of inertia
determined from experimental measurements (Iex = 589 kg cm2).
In fact, theoretical value of inertia moment is slightly larger,
because it is not calculated the forepart of crankshaft and final
part that is more longer. This thing occur because there are
several approaches related to the form of the crankshaft such
as gradients of pages, cutting for balancing effect, eccentricity
of oil hole and non-uniform distribution of material.
These results show a big difference, which should be taken
into consideration, because it directly affects in the state of the
loading of crankshaft, especially in engines with high rotation.
While repair workers should be careful, when crankshaft
change, because weights change and the moment of inertia
change and consequently the equivalent scheme of calculating
of the vibrations
The results of experimental measurements show that the
moment of inertia of the crankshaft is different for each axle
and this changing is small to 4%. These changes come as a
result of the cutting due to the balancing of the crankshaft,
manufacturing tolerances and non-uniform distribution of
material. This is one reason that the noise and the comfort of
vehicles of the same type is different
Results show that during the formation of equivalent
scheme for the calculation of torsional vibration of crankshaft
system, it can be used theoretical calculations and the
obtained results of moments of inertia should be reduced to
7%
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244
IV. CONCLUSIONS
The experimental determination of the moment of inertia
should be used for crankshaft with cranks in the plan and
those with cranks in space. Method of hanging with two wire
is simple and gives correct results.
The experimental determination must used during the repair
of engine, especially in those with high rotations, because in
high rotations, it is the risk of approaching with any of the
frequencies of orders higher and this cause breaking of
engine, noise and breaking of travel comfort.
The experimental determination of the moment of inertia of
crankshaft is necessary used to control theoretical calculations
of moment of inertia, especially for crankshaft of engines with
high rotations.
The hanging method with two wire for experimental
determination of inertia moments can used easily for other
details, especially for ship propellers, because those have
more complex forms to be calculated.
A CKNOWLEDGMENT
This research was supported by Department of Mechanic and
Transport, Faculty of Professional Studies, University
"Aleksander Moisiu", Durres and Faculty of Civil Engineering
Polytechnic University of Tirana.
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Moscow 1970. ( in Russian )
[3] G.S.Masllov “Vibrations calculations axes” Manual date Vehicle
construction 1968 ( in Russian)
[4] A. Nazarov “ Balancing of crankshaft during engine repair Vehicles
transport nr. 9 1981 ( in Russian )
[5] G. Baljuk “Vibrations solidity of the engine “ Moscow 1983. ( in
Russian )
[6] P. Karaulli, R.Korbi “Dynamics and vibrations in machinery”
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[7] M. M .Gernet “ Determination of the inertia moments “ Moscow
1969 p.95-102,126-127 ( in Russian )
[8] A Hajderi, “ influence of rotational mass and deviation from
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[9] K.E Hafner “T orsional oscillation in the engine” Wien, New York
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