TWO DEGREE OF FREEDOM SYSTEMS

The number of degrees of freedom (DOF) of a system is the number of independent coordinates
necessary to define motion. Also, the number of DOF is equal to the number of masses multiplied
by the number of independent ways each mass can move. Consider the 2 DOF system shown below.
x1 x2
F1 F2
k1 k2 k3
m1 m2
c1 c2 c3

From Newton’s law, the equations of motion are:

x1  k1 x1  c1 x1  k2  x2  x1   c2  x2  x1   F1
m1
(1)
x2  k3 x2  c3 x2  k2  x2  x1   c2  x2  x1   F2
m2 
Rearranging gives:
x1   c1  c2  x1   k1  k2  x1  c2 x2  k2 x2  F1
m1
(2)
x2   c2  c3  x2   k2  k3  x2  c2 x1  k2 x1  F2
m2 
These equations can be written in matrix form:
 m1 0    x1  c1  c2 c2   x1  k1  k2 k2   x1   F1 
 0 m            
k2  k3   x2   F2 
(3)
 2   x2   c2 c2  c3   x2   k2
Defining:
 x1   F1 
 x    f 
 x2   F2 
m 0 c  c2 c2   k1  k2 k2 
 M    01 m2 
C    1c c2  c3 
K    k2  k3 
  2  k2
we get:
 M x  C x   K x  F  (4)

Free Undamped Vibration

Setting the damping [C]and forcing {F}terms to zero, we get:

x1   k1  k2  x1  k2 x2  0
m1
(5)
x2   k2  k3  x2  k2 x1  0
m2 
Solution: we can assume that each mass undergoes harmonic motion of the same frequency and
phase. This is proved on page 4. The solution is thus written as:
x1  X 1 cos t
(6)
x2  X 2 cos t

or:
1
 x   X  cos t (7)
where
 X1 
X     (8)
X2 
Substituting into the equation of motion yields:
 2  M x   K x  0   K    2  M  x  0 (9)
This is an eigenvalue problem. For a non-trivial solution, the determinant must vanish so we have:
K   2 M   0 (10)
Or
m1 2  k1  k2 k2
0 (11)
k2 m2  k2  k32

For our problem, this results in:

 m1 2  k1  k2  m2 2  k2  k3    k2  k2   0 (12)
combining terms we get:
    m  k  k3   m2  k1  k2    2   k1k2  k2 k3  k1k3   0
2
m1m2  2 1 2 (13)
which is a quadratic equation in terms of 2. From this we can get:
m1  k2  k3   m2  k1  k2   m k  k3   m2  k1  k2    4m1m2  k1k2  k2 k3  k1k3 
2

2 
1 2
(14)
2m1m2
These values of  are the natural frequencies of the system. The values of X1 and X2 remain to be
determined. To simplify the analysis, let m1=m2=m and k1=k2=k3=k. The determinant will be:
2k  m 2 k
0 (15)
k 2k  m 2
yielding the characteristic equation:
 2k  m 
2
2
 k2  0 (16)
which has the solutions:
k 3k
1 , 2  (17)
m m
Note that these values are the solutions to this particular case (masses are identical, springs are
identical).To determine X1 and X2, we need to substitute into
 K    2  M  x  0
k
with the values of 1 and 2 just obtained. Hence at   1  we have:
m
 2k  m12 k   X1   k k   X 1 
 2 0      0
 k 2k  m1   X 2   k k   X 2 
This has infinite number of solutions, but they must satisfy a certain ratio, namely:
 X1  1
    (18)
 X 2  1 1

Similarly, at 2 we have:

2
  2k  m2 2 k   X1   k k   X 1 
 2 0    0
k   X 2 
(19)
 k 2k  m2   X 2   k
so
 X1  1
    (20)
 X 2 2 1
X 
The ratio of amplitudes  1  defines a certain pattern of motion called the normal mode of
X2 
vibration. The vectors
X  X 
 X 1   1  and  X 2   1 
 X 2  1
 X 2  2

are called the modal vectors or eigenvectors. They define the mode shapes of the system. In this
particular case, if the system vibrates in its first mode, the masses will move in phase with the same
amplitudes, while in the second mode of vibration the masses move out of phase also with the same
amplitudes.

The solution for the vibration of the system at the first mode is:

 x1  t  
   X1 
   A1   cos 1t  1  (21)
 x2  t  
   X 2 1
and for the second mode:
 x1  t  
   X1 
   A2   cos 2t  2  (22)
 x2  t 
   X 2 2
so the general solution is:
 x1  t  
   X1   X1 
   A1   cos 1t  1   A2   cos 2t  2  (23)
 x2  t  
   X 2 1  X 2 2

where A1, A2, 1 and 2 are 4 constants to be determined from the initial conditions.

3
Proof: It was noted that the solution of the equations
x1   k1  k2  x1  k2 x2  0
m1
x2   k2  k3  x2  k2 x1  0
m2 
takes the form:
x1  X1 sin t , x2  X 2 sin t
meaning the masses undergo harmonic motions of the same frequency with no phase difference
between them. In order to justify this, let us re-write the equations of motions in a more general
form:
x1  a11 x1  a12 x2  0

x2  a21 x1  a22 x2  0

Now assume a general solution in the form:
x1  X1 sin 1t , x2  X 2 sin(2t   )
where 2 is taken to be different from 1.There is no loss of generality in assuming no phase for x1
and only a phase difference  between the two motions. We wish to prove that 1  2 and   0 .
Substituting into the equations of motion yields:
 a11  12  X 1 sin 1t   a12 X 2 sin 2t     0

a21 X 1 sin 1t    a22  22  X 2 sin 2t     0

These relations must be valid for all t. Setting t=0 in the first equation gives:
a12 X 2 sin     0
since a12 and X2 cannot be zero, we must have   0 . Thus there can be no phase difference between
the harmonic motions of the two parts.
The first expression may then be written as:
a11  12  X1 sin 1t   a12 X 2 sin 2t   0
or
sin 2t  12  a11  X1
  constant
sin 1t  a12 X 2

Since the left hand side must be constant for all values of t, we must have 2=1 and consequently
the harmonic motions occur at the same frequency.

4
Example
For various initial conditions, obtain the free response of the previous system having m = 1 and k =
1.
Solution
Recall the natural frequencies were
k 3k
1   1 , 2   3
m m
and the mode shapes were
 X1  1  X1  1
    ,    
 X 2  1 1
 X 2  1 2

and the general solution is:

 x1  t  
   X1   X1 
   A1   sin 1t  1   A2   sin 2t  2 
 x2  t 
   X 2 1  X 2 2
hence
 x1  t  
 1 1


 x2  t  
 1 1

  A1   sin  t  1   A2   sin 3t  2 

Differentiating w.r.t. time we get:
 x1  t  
 1 1


  A1   cos  t  1   3 A2   cos  3t  2 
 x2  t  
  1 1
For the initial conditions
x1 (0)  5 x1 (0)  0
x2 (0)  0 x2 (0)  0
we have:
5  A1 sin 1  A2 sin 2
0  A1 sin 1  A2 sin 2
0  A1 cos 1  3 A2 cos 2
0  A1 cos 1  3 A2 cos 2
from which we get:
1  2   2
A1  A2  5 2
hence the solution is:
5 5
x1  t    cos t  cos 3t  , x2  t   cos t  cos 3t 
2 2

5
Modes of vibration contribute equally to the solution.

For the initial conditions

x1 (0)  1 x1 (0)  0 x2 (0)  1 x2 (0)  0
we get
1  2   2, A1  1, A2  0
hence the solution is:
x1  t   cos t , x2  t   cos t
i.e. the masses move in-phase with the same amplitude and frequency 1 rad /s (mode 1)

6
For the initial conditions
x1 (0)  1 x1 (0)  0 x2 (0)  1 x2 (0)  0
we get
1  2   2, A1  0, A2  1
hence the solution is:
x1  t   cos 3t , x2  t    cos 3t
i.e. the masses move out-of-phase with the same amplitude and frequency 3 rad /s (mode 2)

7
Forced vibration analysis

Consider the shown system

F0 sint
k1 k k2
m1 m2

The equations of motion are:

 m1 0    x1   k  k1 k   x1   F0 
 0 m           sin t
k  k2   x2   0 
(24)
 2   x2   k
or:
 M x   K x  F sin t (25)
Seeking a steady-state solution in the form
x   X  sin t (26)
yields:
 K    2  M   X  sin t  F  sin t (27)
hence:
 k  k1   2 m1 k   X 1   F0 
     (28)
 k k  k2   m2   X 2   0 
2

which can be solved for the unknown amplitudes. For our special case where m1=m2=m and
k1=k2=k, we have:
 2k   2 m k   X 1   F0 
 2    (29)
  k 2 k   m   X 2   0 
thus:
1
 X 1   2k   2 m k   F0 
     (30)
 X 2   k 2k   2 m   0 
This results in:

 X1  1 

 2k   2 m F0 


    (31)
 X 2  m2   2  k   2  3k   
   kF 
 m  m  0

or:

X1 
 2k   m  F
2
0
, X2 
kF0
(32)
m 2
      
2 2
1
2 2
2
2

m   12  2  22
2
 
where
k 3k
1 
, 2 
m m
are the natural frequencies obtained earlier. Plotting the amplitudes of the masses reveals that
resonance occurs when the frequency of excitation coincides with either of the two natural
frequencies of the system.

8
1 2

9
Dynamic vibration absorber

Consider the primary system shown, which is a model of a single DOF

vibrating structure, acted upon by a harmonic force. k1
m1
F0 sint
Suppose that the exciting frequency, , is constant and is equal to the natural frequency of the
system, i.e.
k
 1
m1
We wish to reduce the vibrations of m1 at the exciting frequency .
We can do this by adding a secondary system, consisting of a mass k1
m2 and spring k2 as shown.
m1
F0 sint
k2

m2

If we derive the equations of motion, we will get:

 m1 0   x1   k1  k2 k2   x1   F0 
 0 m           sin t
 2   x2   k2 k2   x2   0 

Substituting into
1
 K    2  M   X   F    X    K    2  M  F 
yields:

1
 X 1   k1  k2   2 m1 k2   F0 
    
X2    k2 k2   2 m2   0 
or:
 X1  1  k2   2 m2 k2   F0 
   2   
 
 X 2  k1  k2   m1 k2   m2  k2 
2 2
k2 k1  k2   m1   0 
2

hence:

X1 

F0 k2   2 m2 
k  k
1 2 
  m1 k2   2 m2  k22
2

F0 k2
X2 
 
k1  k2   m1 k2   2 m2  k22
2


10
now define
k1 k2
11  , 22 
m1 m2
For the primary system (without absorber), resonance occurs when
k
  1  11
m1
For X1 to be zero at this frequency, we must have
k2
k2   2 m2  0     22
m2
Therefore if k2 and m2 are chosen such that
k1 k2

m1 m2
then X1 will be zero at =11. This is what we call a tuned dynamic absorber, in which
11  22
At this frequency, the displacement of X2 will be:
F0 k2 F
X2   0
 k1  k2  k2
 k1  k2  m1  k2  m2   k22
 m1  m2 

Adding the secondary system (dynamic absorber) will result in zero vibrations of the primary mass
at 11=22. However, two resonant frequencies n1 and n2 are introduced at which the amplitude
of X1 becomes significantly large. Thus the dynamic absorber can only be useful when the
disturbing frequency is constant.
No With
absorber absorber
X1

n1  n2 



11
How to design the vibration absorber?

1. Based on space limitation. Choose k2 and m2 such that

k1 k2

m1 m2
noting that the amplitude of m2 will be
F
X2   0
k2
2. Based on how far apart should the natural frequencies be. The two new natural frequencies of
the system can be obtained by setting the determinant equal to zero:

k1  k2   2 m1  k2
0
 k2 k2   2 m2
which gives:
k  k
1 2  
  2 m1 k2   2 m2  k22  0
This gives:
 k1 k2 k2  k1k2
4  2     0
 m1 m1 m2  m1m2
which can be put in the form:
 4   2 112  222  222   112 222  0
m2
where    mass ratio
m1
The roots of this equation n1 and n2 satisfy the relations:
n21  n22  112  112
n21  n22  112  222 1   
But for a tuned absorber we have 11  22 hence
n21 n22
 1
222 222
n21 n22
  2 
222 222

As you increase the mass ratio (), the natural frequencies n1 and n2 will grow further apart. Note
that n1 is always closer to 11 than n2.

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